Foley drivers will soon see brighter intersections across the city. City leaders have approved new street lights at several busy spots. The changes are meant to make night driving safer for everyone. The main focus is a dark crossing on James Road.

The Foley City Council has voted to add streetlights at several locations around town. One new light will shine on the intersection of James Road and Baldwin County 12. The city installed a four-way stop there in early 2025. Some drivers are still adjusting.

Traffic at the James Road intersection increased when vehicles were detoured during intersection improvements at Baldwin County 12 and Alabama 59. City officials say the new stop sign helped handle that flow. But they also say poor lighting makes it harder for motorists to see the change at night.

Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the extra light should improve safety at the crossing. “The point is that it is a dark intersection and every improvement for safety that we can make would be good,” Hellmich said.

“This is one of these new four-way stops where people have to learn to be attentive,” he said. The city hopes the combination of the stop signs and the new streetlight will cut down on close calls and crashes, especially after dark and during bad weather.

Baldwin EMC will install an LED streetlight and a transformer on a pole that already stands at the James Road and County 12 intersection. Using the existing pole should speed up the work and limit disruption for nearby property owners and drivers passing through the area.

Foley and Baldwin County are also partnering on a larger road project in the same area. The two governments plan to extend James Road south from its current end at Brinks Willis Road, near the County 12 intersection, toward Gulf Shores to improve regional connections.

Another planned light will be added at the entrance to the Meadow Run Estates subdivision. Taylor Davis, the city engineer, said the subdivision’s homeowners association asked the city to place a light at the entrance. Baldwin EMC will also install that neighborhood light.

A separate streetlight will go up on an existing pole near 525 Hamilton Boulevard. That fixture will be installed by Riviera Utilities, which provides electric service in that part of Foley. City officials say it should make the busy area easier for pedestrians and drivers to navigate.