As Baldwin County continues to swell, local and state transportation leaders say that growth — paired with long-term planning and collaboration — is helping keep road quality among the best in the nation.

A 2025 report from Zutobi, an online driving education platform, ranks Alabama among the top states for road quality, tying for fifth nationwide with Idaho for a score of 6.94 out of 10, following Georgia at the top then Virginia, Wisconsin and North Dakota. The report found the percentage of Alabama roads rated acceptable increased from 88% in 2020 to 92% in 2023, one of the strongest improvements in the country. Drive west into Mississippi, and any motorist can tell the difference.

Baldwin County Engineer Frank Lundy said growth in parts of Alabama, like locally, has played a key role in maintaining and improving infrastructure.

"Growth in certain areas of Alabama is the very thing that allows road quality to remain high in our region and some other regions in this state," he said.

Lundy said Baldwin County's strategy has focused on coordination, partnerships and planning ahead as traffic volumes increase.

"In addition to the Baldwin County Commission adopting a strategic plan goal that prioritizes capacity and connectivity improvements of the county's transportation network, Baldwin County has focused heavily on investing in partnerships," he said.

One of those efforts is the county's 30 Cubed Program, launched in early 2025, "an innovative funding model that focuses on fostering collaborative partnerships with municipalities throughout the county to provide funding opportunity for critical transportation needs within the local road system, regardless of jurisdiction or ownership," Lundy said.

According to Lundy, six transportation projects are currently under design through partnerships with Gulf Shores, Foley, Magnolia Springs, Spanish Fort, Bay Minette and Robertsdale.

Safety and congestion relief remain top priorities, particularly along major corridors.

"Currently, our biggest targeted projects are improving efficiency and safety at intersections along our primary corridors as well as aggressively pursuing expansion of certain major corridor routes," Lundy said.

That includes phased improvements along County Road 65 near Foley and new roadway segments that would create a continuous north-south connection from Robertsdale to Bon Secour.

Lundy said Baldwin County also works closely with the Alabama Department of Transportation on large-scale projects.

"The county successfully negotiated with ALDOT to take over ownership and maintenance of the county's portions of the Baldwin Beach Express and Foley Beach Express from what was the toll bridge to I-10," he said.

At the state level, ALDOT officials point to several major Baldwin County projects that reflect the broader statewide improvements highlighted in the Zutobi report.

James Gordon, communications and public relations coordinator for ALDOT, said the largest Baldwin County project scheduled for completion in 2026 is the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge and SR-161 Connector.

"The nearly 3-mile, $82 million Intracoastal Waterway Bridge and SR-161 Connector project is nearly 85% complete," Gordon said.

He said substructure and steel girder work has been completed, with bridge deck, barrier rail and roadway construction in the final stages. The bridge is scheduled to open to traffic this summer.

Plans are also underway to widen SR-180 from Beaver Creek to the former Beach Express Toll Bridge.

"Once finished, the corridor will feature two full northbound and southbound lanes, easing congestion for drivers traveling to and from Alabama's beaches," Gordon said.

Another major project affecting coastal travel is the U.S. 90 Tensaw River Bridge replacement near the USS Alabama Battleship Park.

"Work on the $78.8 million US-90 Tensaw River Bridge Replacement … is well underway," Gordon said.

The new bridge will replace the aging westbound structure and include a dedicated pedestrian and bicycle path. Gordon said the project is designed to withstand harsh coastal conditions.

With major projects underway and additional planning in progress, Baldwin County officials say local infrastructure is keeping pace as the region continues to grow.

Gabriella Chavez is a Report for America corps member who writes about growth and development in Baldwin County and our natural spaces for Gulf Coast Media. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yaf8yf5n.