Officials in Orange Beach have temporarily closed a small section of Alabama Point East beach near the Perdido Pass Bridge as spring break crowds begin arriving along Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
In a public notice shared by the City of Orange Beach, officials said the closure is intended to address safety concerns during the busy spring break season.
The city emphasized that Orange Beach remains a family-oriented beach community and warned that disruptive behavior will not be tolerated.
“Underage drinking, illegal drug use, disorderly conduct or any other breach of the peace is not tolerated here,” the city said in the announcement. “We respect one another, enjoy a good time — responsibly — and always keep our beaches clean.”
The temporary closure affects a small portion of Alabama Point East near the Perdido Pass Bridge, a location city officials say has historically drawn large crowds of spring breakers.
Most of the surrounding area remains open. City officials said all other public access beaches in Orange Beach remain open, and the majority of Alabama Point East — including parking areas — is still accessible.
According to local reports, the closure specifically covers the stretch of beach between the Gulf State Park boardwalk and the Perdido Pass bridge, an area that authorities say has presented recurring enforcement challenges.
Orange Beach Police Chief Trent Johnson said the location previously allowed groups to gather outside the view of officers.
“The area we have blocked off, traditionally it could be hidden from view and we couldn’t see problems before they occurred,” Johnson said.
Law enforcement officials have cited incidents involving bridge jumping, fights and illegal alcohol consumption in the area during past spring break seasons.
Johnson said officers will be actively enforcing local laws as the city’s population grows during the busy travel period.
“We invite you to come and participate in our family friendly activities, but if your goal is to come here and be disorderly, to use illegal narcotics, to participate in underage drinking, we are actively going to be looking for you and doing everything we can to mitigate those problems,” Johnson said.
Authorities expect the city’s population to increase dramatically during spring break, with officials noting that roughly 180 colleges are scheduled for spring break in the coming weeks, followed by Mobile and Baldwin County school systems.
The temporary beach closure is expected to remain in place through most of April.
Similar safety measures are also being implemented elsewhere along the Gulf Coast during the spring break season.
In Panama City Beach, Florida, city officials announced that portions of South Pier Park Drive — between L.C. Hilton Drive and Front Beach Road — will be temporarily closed beginning March 12 and lasting through April 13. Local officials said the closure is intended to improve public safety during the peak spring break period.
Sherri Blevins is a reporter for 256 Today.
