New toll-free bridge coming to Gulf Shores by 2026

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WPMI) — People driving to and from the beach will have a free alternative route in about three years. The Alabama Department of Transportation has ok’d a new bridge over the Intercoastal Waterway in Baldwin County. Gulf Shores Mayor, Robert Craft says he’s all for the addition of the new bridge.

“The contract has been fully executed and a notice receipt has been given,” Craft said in a council meeting on Monday.

Right now, there are only two ways off of Pleasure Island; the Foley Beach Express, which is a toll bridge, and the Gulf Shores Parkway Bridge. This new route is free and it’s just west of the current toll bridge. Mayor Craft says this bridge will help in case of medical and environmental emergencies.

“We’re an island and all of our health care is north and the number of evacuations we do unfortunately more often than I wish,” he said. “We’ve got to get off this island.”

The mayor also says this new bridge will help alleviate the stress from the rapid growth in the community.

“We’re overcrowded, we’ve got great growth in our community and our 59 bridge is overcrowded. It’s an F rated bridge, it has been for several years,” he said.

He also says the new bridge is something that is long overdue.

“We’ve been talking about this for a long time. I’ve been mayor since ‘08 and I will believe that not very long after that it became an opportunity to discuss,” says Craft.

In an official statement from ALDOT, they say with this bridge they plan to relieve traffic, provide new infrastructure, add another route off of the island during evacuations, as well as offering a faster alternative to get to the hospital.

Mayor craft tells me this bridge is something he’s been pushing for years, and this is something that would benefit the entire state.

“The financial viability for all of us here as well as the amount of money we send to Montgomery. We’re a real important source of revenue for the state of Alabama and that is dependent on people being able to get here easily and not waiting in line for traffic to get over a bridge,” says Craft.

In their statement ALDOT says they plan on starting construction sometime this month and they plan to complete the project January 1, 2026.