After years of back and forth, a temporary injunction, and a reversal by the state Supreme Court, Alabama’s Beach Express bridge is now owned by the state, and toll-free. The state Department of Transportation began deconstructing the gantries and other infrastructure in mid-June. In May, the state purchased the bridge from the Baldwin County Bridge Company (BCBC) for $57 million plus an additional $3 million for local road improvements in Orange Beach. Interestingly enough, the state is also still moving forward with construction of a brand-new bridge, the Gulf Shores Bridge, approximately one mile away. The cost of that new bridge, per last year’s litigation, is expected to be at least $120 million. The state is also planning additional road improvements to accommodate the changes, so the total outlay, at the end of the day, will likely be much higher than $180 million.
