Visitors to Alabama beaches have only two main thoroughfares to cross the Intracoastal Waterway to get to the beaches, which creates significant traffic challenges.

During summer months, the massive amount of tourist traffic can also clog up roads throughout Baldwin County.

To address these traffic concerns, Foley city officials are hopeful that a $4.2 million project will give local residents an option of driving toward Gulf Shores.

The city, in conjunction with the Baldwin County Commission, announced this week that they entered into an intergovernmental agreement to build approximately 5,280-feet of new roadway and pedestrian improvements extending James Road from Brinks Willis Road southward toward Oak Road East in Gulf Shores.

City spokesperson Guy Busby said the road is not intended to be a connector for visitors. He said the intention is to give local drivers another route into Gulf Shores as an alternative to main highways like Alabama State Route 59.

“Foley has built a number of north-south routes in the last couple of years to help people avoid the highways, if possible,” he said, adding that an extension of Juniper Street as one example.

Part of the project will be in the City of Foley, while the rest will be in the unincorporated area of Baldwin County. The project’s costs are split between the two governing bodies, with each spending $2.1 million each.

“This project is something that the county and city have been looking at for quite some time, and it will help the traffic movement north and south,” Baldwin County Commissioner Charles “Skip” Gruber said. “Anything we can add makes a big difference.”

The James Road project is the second project within the Baldwin County Commission’s 30 Cubed Program, aimed at fostering collaboration between the county government and municipalities across the county.

The project’s aim is to enhance capacity and connectivity within the roadway system for what is among the fastest-growing counties in Alabama. It’s also the county that, by far, receives the most visitors annually.

Foley Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the project represents a cooperative effort between the two governing bodies when road and other utility projects crisscross governmental lines.