ALDOT approves funding for third Pleasure Island Bridge across Intracoastal Waterway

ALDOT approves funding for third Pleasure Island Bridge across Intracoastal Waterway
By John Mullen
Local officials and business leaders were incredulous that anyone could be opposed to the state’s plan to build a third bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway just west of the Foley Beach Express toll bridge.
“We have no other option, it’s not coming out of our pocket and it’s the best opportunity we’ll ever have,” Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft said. “We cannot let this pass.”
A standing-room-only crowd gathered at the Gulf Shores Activity Center on Nov. 15 to express their views on the project to Alabama Department of Transportation officials and local officials as well. Most in the crowd were in favor of the project but there is also a contingent hoping to shut the project down, even though state funding for the entire project is already in place.
One who was not in favor was State Auditor Jim Zeigler who says he’s asked for documents about the project several times since April and has yet to receive a response from ALDOT.
“I have more questions than answers about the proposed additional bridge,” Zeigler said. “I hope to solve that with my specific requests for public records. We need to make sure that this $30 to $87 million-dollar project is the best use of our limited funds.”
One of the most vocal residents against the build has been Joe Emerson who started a Facebook page against the bridge.
“Our traffic problems in and around this area can be vastly improved by one build alone, a project that has been in the conception phase for over a decade,” Emerson said of a road through the park. “I recognize we desperately need a cross-island corridor.”
Craft says there’s no question in his mind this project is the right thing for his city.
“There are folks out there that don’t want to see that happen and it is in our best interest and in Orange Beach’s best interest,” Craft said. “They are supporting this. Whoever is against it is against it for reasons unrelated to what is best for these two communities in my opinion.
“If this doesn’t happen I don’t know what our options are. We really have no other options that are reasonable and successful. If they expand the toll bridge and people go around it we’re going to be right back where we are.”
Southwest Engineer Vince Calametti of ALDOT told the crowd trying to fix Alabama 59 is a much more disruptive and costlier proposition and the new bridge can help alleviate traffic there.
Craft said past and recent studies reveal that 22 percent of the daily traffic heading over the Alabama 59 bridge in Gulf Shores is ultimately headed to Orange Beach, many dodging the Foley Beach Express toll bridge.
“This bridge will be funded by ALDOT because it’s cheaper for them to solve the problem on 59 that way than it is to try and fix 59 all the way to Bay Minette,” Craft said. “That roadway is overcrowded, too. This allows the shift of a lot of the traffic to the beach express.”
Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said plans also include widening Canal Road from Tacky Jacks in Gulf Shores to Alabama 161 in Orange Beach. The only bridge serving that area would be the two-lane toll bridge.
“We’re fixing to have four lanes north and south of the bridge and two lanes north and south and that makes no sense,” Kennon said. “If there’s a barge incident with the bridge, if it takes out the Orange Beach Bridge or the Gulf Shores bridge could y’all imagine the chaos. It’s a no brainer.”
Gulf Shores City Administrator Steve Griffin said the new bridge helps safety issues with emergency vehicles and would be another hurricane evacuation route.
“We just dodged a bullet with Hurricane Michael and a bridge like this would be critical for evacuation purposes,” Griffin said.
Wynell Bell who has a home on Canal Road just east of Sixth Street said she fears her property may be taken if a proposed widening and rerouting of that road takes place.
“If Canal Road east of The Wharf to your proposed new bridge and road is five lane then please explain to me how you can flow traffic from five lanes into two lanes on my section of Canal Road and not have a horrendous bottleneck,” Bell said. “Common sense tells me you cannot build a bridge west of the beach express, install roundabouts, pour thousands of more vehicles on Canal Road with no direct route to the beach and hope to solve this problem.”
Tina Perrault, who says she lost her home and property to eminent domain for the roadway north of the canal, said she understands new infrastructure will help but it hasn’t lessened her plight.
“These people may be here to look after the safety but they’re not here to look after you and your home and what you lose,” Perrault said. “Today, officially, the state has taken my home and my property away.”