ORANGE BEACH, AL – After much hope and hoopla surrounding the announcement of a new bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, it appears now that plan is in jeopardy.

“We have just not moved forward on any kind of bridge discussion,” Vince Calametti, Southwest Alabama Region Engineer for ALDOT, said.

But, says Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

“I think it’s a good thing,” Kennon said. “Having said that, any bridge is better than no bridge. The option to the west is just not a desirable option for Orange Beach.”

As city and state officials took a closer look at the consequences of a bridge a mile or so west of the Foley Beach Express toll bridge, questions began to arise.

“With a north-south lane to the west and a north-south lane at The Wharf, with one being a free bridge and would being a toll bridge, it would be a nightmare with the traffic in between the two,” Kennon said. “I don’t know that they have the money to build that bridge anyway.”

Kennon took his concerns to a recent meeting with Gov. Robert Bentley.

“I went and visited with the governor one on one and he was understanding and he said he was open to our looking into other options,” Kennon said. “I felt pretty good that he was understanding of our plight and moving it to the west might actually make our traffic problems worse.

“I don’t think right now that bridge is on the table. He was very open for us to figure out what would work best for us down here. We’re talking to the bridge company and looking at options.”

Kennon for months has been talking with the owners of the toll bridge exploring options of a second span there.

“I think The Wharf bridge is the best option especially with us getting the two lanes now headed west,” he said. “Our biggest problems are westbound and northbound traffic. That would really help to have two northbound and two southbound right beside each other.

“They’re looking to see if there’s an option with the bridge company with a twin span at The Wharf.”

As part of that option Kennon would like to see some changes made in the toll structure.

“We’re talking about how we work the toll out, what the toll company could do in helping us work with the current toll,” he said. “We would cap the toll and it would somehow be tied to some index or indicator every year. They wouldn’t have the ability to just raise the toll anytime they wanted.”

As for the state, Calametti said because this particular option of the bridge west of The Wharf is losing momentum, his department still recognizes the need and will continue to work toward a solution.

“I think ALDOT is still of the opinion more capacity needs to be achieved across the canal but I don’t think we’re in agreement on how to do that right now,” he said.

The only north-south entrances to Pleasure Island are currently the Alabama 59 Bridge in Gulf shores and the Foley Beach Express toll bridge in Orange Beach.