Another Hurricane Evacuation Route

Alabama Baldwin County Work on Foley Beach Express extension route underway...will provide another north-south beach evacuation route

by Pat Peterson

Published: Mon, September 08, 2008 - 9:28 pm CST Last Updated: Mon, September 08, 2008 - 9:37 pm CST

Whenever a hurricane forces coastal communities in Baldwin County to evacuate, traffic on Highway 59 heading north becomes a nightmare! But bumper to bumper beach traffic on 59 will be eliminated when the Foley Beach Express extension project is finished. The Alabama Department of Transportation has already cut two miles of new road on the southern end of the project route.

"It'll definitely help during an evacuation," says Summerdale resident Tina Bishop. "When a hurricane comes, people should be able to get out quickly."

"I live in Gulf Shores and there's always traffic backed up on Highway 59," says Ruby Jones.

Not everyone is happy about the project. Leonard Lawley lives on the extension route and says he's selling his property.

"We moved out here for peace and quiet," says Lawley. "The new, four-lane highway will create more traffic right here in my backyard. We don't even need another evacuation route, if people would live two or three days before a storm."

When the project is completed, the beach express extension will connect Summerdale with Interstate 10. The 26-million dollar highway project should be completed in five to seven years.

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lillyshell Says:

Mon, Nov 10, 2008 at 11:40 pm

Well, I’m not crazy about the route, seeing it wil be directly infront of my home, but I do beleive that saying people should leave 2 or 3 days prior is not always the best answer, since it takes up to the day before sometimes before we know exactly where it will hit. Hmmm, I guess paying for a motel bill only matters if you get someone else to pay, you think. Everyone don’t have money for several days. I don’t think people should wait till the last minute, but I don’t think they should leave unless they have to either.

cmb1 Says:

Tue, Sep 09, 2008 at 6:56 am

Yes it would and then the taxpayers would have to pay for more hotel rooms! One thing they could do is when a storm is forecast for the area 4 days out not let any tourist in…

MeAmerican Says:

Mon, Sep 08, 2008 at 10:49 pm

“The new, four-lane highway will create more traffic right here in my backyard. We don’t even need another evacuation route, if people would live two or three days before a storm.

“Hmmm, if everybody left 2or3 days before a storm, wouldn’t the problem still exist?