The city of Foley is nearing completion of the Foley Beach Express widening project and is also focusing on improving key intersections along the highway. Planned upgrades at the intersections of the Foley Beach Express with Baldwin County 20 and Baldwin County 12 include traffic signal enhancements with mast arms, additional ambient lighting, and the addition of acceleration and deceleration lanes. 

The improvements, estimated to cost about $2.9 million, aim to enhance safety and traffic flow in the area.

The city is seeking a state grant through the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program II, known as ATRIP II, to pay most of the costs.

The City Council voted Monday, Dec. 16, to approve funding to pay the remainder of the costs of the project.

Crews are now working to widen and add shoulders along the Foley Beach Express. When the work is completed in upcoming weeks, the city will transfer ownership of the highway to the Alabama Department of Transportation.

Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the city and ALDOT work together to maintain and improve state highways that run through Foley, such as Alabama 59 and U.S. 98.

“We have traditionally partnered with ALDOT on Highway 59,” Hellmich said. “Now that this road is becoming a federal/state highway, we anticipate that we'll be partners with them on projects there too. It's really no different than what we’re doing on Highway 59.”

The mayor said the improvements are in Foley’s construction plans, but the grant will help pay the cost of the project.

“We had these in our long-range plan anyway, but this way, we're going to get the ATRIP money,” Hellmich said.