REMINDER: Beach toll bridge will be free in time for Memorial Day

It was big news last month when the Governor’s office and the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) announced that the state would take control over the Baldwin Beach Express – the major toll bridge that brings millions of visitors to Alabama’s beaches every year.

The most exciting part of that announcement? The toll bridge will be free. Tomorrow at noon, the state is set to take over and eliminate the $5 toll for drivers hitting the Alabama Gulf Coast. Keep reading for the short and long-term plans for traffic flows around the toll plaza.

May 23, 2024 @ 12PM

At the stroke of noon on May 23, crews will stop taking the $5+ toll from travelers along the Baldwin Beach Express, and to make sure the transition is smooth, ALDOT crews have a few reminders:

• New traffic flow. One lane in each direction will stay open with the help of some traffic control devices installed by ALDOT.
• Reduced speed limits. To get everyone used to the new traffic pattern, there will be a posted slower speed limit around the toll plaza.

This new traffic pattern will continue until crews can dismantle the current toll booth and plaza.

For locals who may have passes or accounts with funds in them, the Baldwin Bridge Company says all refunds will be issued by June 30.

What’s next?

The elimination of tolls on the Baldwin Beach Express is just a step in the master plan to make getting to Alabama’s beaches an easier experience for travelers. In the works right now is another bridge, the Intracoastal Waterway.

When that ALDOT project is completed in 2026, the Baldwin Beach Express will exclusively take northbound traffic away from the beach and the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge will take southbound traffic towards the beach.

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