Baldwin County approves 30 Cubed agreement with Spanish Fort for Old Highway 31 improvements

Baldwin County commissioners on Wednesday approved an intergovernmental roadway construction agreement with the City of Spanish Fort to build a new connection from Old Highway 31 to Eastern Shore Boulevard and related pedestrian and safety improvements.

Frank, Baldwin County engineer, told commissioners the project is the fourth selected under the county's 30 Cubed program, a voluntary cost-share initiative that pairs the county with municipalities for roadway projects focused on connectivity, capacity and multimodal features. The full roadway network is estimated at $7,100,000; the county and the city will each pay 50 percent of the construction and design costs, Frank said. Right of way and some design elements will be donated by the city.

The measure approved by the commission authorizes the county to enter an intergovernmental construction agreement with the City of Spanish Fort, contingent on the city's approval of the same agreement. Commissioners adopted the item by voice vote; the record shows a motion, a second and the chair's announcement that the motion carried by an affirmative voice vote.

Why it matters: The corridor near the Eastern Shore Center and US 31 experiences heavy congestion, especially during school commute periods, and county and city officials said the new alignment and access-management changes aim to reduce unsafe left-turn movements and funnel traffic to a signalized intersection. The plan also reserves space for a potential BRATS regional transit hub and includes multimodal elements such as multiuse trails and lighting.

Project details and obligations: According to the presentation, the new alignment will create a connection that does not exist today, convert the Old Highway 31 intersection with US 31 to a right-in/right-out configuration, and route traffic into a new roundabout that connects to Eastern Shore Boulevard. The county will fund half of the $7.1 million program cost; the city will pay the other half. Upon completion, the city will assume maintenance responsibility for assets inside its corporate limits; the county will retain maintenance responsibility for any small segment that remains outside the city.

Public transit and donated property: The project design incorporates a proposed BRATS (Baldwin Regional Area Transit System) hub site. Mayor McMillan said the city will donate property as part of the master-plan work to allow a future transit hub. The mayor also thanked local property owners and partners who have offered or will donate property to facilitate the connection, including Eastern Shore Center stakeholders and Sawgrass Consulting.

Next steps and conditions: The county's vote authorizes the agreement only after the City of Spanish Fort approves the intergovernmental contract. Staff said design and right-of-way work are to be coordinated with the city and the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) where state routes are affected. Commissioners and the mayor described additional, future connections as possible but noted those would require further planning and agreements.

Context: The 30 Cubed program was launched earlier this year to encourage matched investments between Baldwin County and its 14 municipalities on selected roadway projects. County officials said the program gives smaller cities access to funds for multimodal and safety improvements through a cooperative model.

Outcome: The commission adopted the intergovernmental roadway construction agreement (agenda item GA 1) by voice vote; the motion required the city council of Spanish Fort to approve the agreement before it takes effect.

What remains open: The agreement is contingent on the City of Spanish Fort's approval and on subsequent design and right-of-way work. Funding sources beyond the county and city match were not specified in the presentation. No specific construction timeline or phased schedule was stated in the certified action presented to the commission.