Removing Beach Express toll worked

September 2, 2025 Mullet Wrapper

Removing Beach Express toll worked

More than a year after the removal of tolls on the Beach Express bridge into Orange Beach, traffic counts show the change is continuing to ease congestion on Hwy. 59 while directing more vehicles to the Hwy. 161 Beach Express corridor.
This was exactly the hope when ALDOT purchased the Foley Beach Express Bridge for $57 million and removed the tolls just before Memorial Day Weekend of 2024. ALDOT paid an additional $3 million to the city of Orange Beach for its use with local road improvements at the time.
ALDOT analyzed traffic from June 21 through Aug. 3, and compared results from 2024 to 2025.
ALDOT observed 3,614,761 vehicles during this year’s 44-day period, compared to 3,476,454 in 2024.
• Balanced Growth: Hwy. 59 saw a modest 1.8% year-over-year increase in volume, while Hwy. 161 recorded a stronger 8.6% increase.
• During the seven-day July 4 holiday week, Hwy. 59 observed about 6,700 more vehicles than last year, while Hwy. 161 saw an additional 21,073 vehicles, a full 3.5 times more vehicles than Hwy. 59.
Nearly one out of every three days, Hwy. 59 actually saw fewer vehicles in 2025 compared to 2024. On Hwy. 161, only one out of every 15 days recorded a decrease.
The numbers highlight how the state purchase and toll removal in 2024 continues to benefit travelers and communities. Hwy. 59 traffic remains near last year’s levels despite overall growth, while Hwy. 61 continues to absorb more of the summer travel demand.
“These results show that the toll removal is doing exactly what was intended—providing a more balanced flow of vehicles to Alabama’s beaches,” said ALDOT spokesperson James Gordon. “By shifting more drivers to Hwy. 161, we are easing the pressure on Hwy. 59 and making travel safer and more reliable for everyone.”
ALDOT anticipates the completion of the new Waterways roadway and bridge by next summer, which will increase capacity for the route and provide even better levels of service for residents and the thousands of visitors to Alabama beaches.