Construction is moving forward on Alabama's $3.2 billion Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project, a major Interstate 10 improvement program designed to reduce congestion, improve freight movement and increase highway capacity between Mobile and Baldwin counties.
State, federal and local officials broke ground Oct. 2 at Cooper Riverside Park in downtown Mobile. The ceremony followed the Alabama Department of Transportation's (ALDOT) Sept. 25 notice to proceed to the Kiewit Massman Traylor (KMT) design-build team. Construction officially began Oct. 1.
The five-year Phase One program includes a new 6-lane, cable-stayed bridge over the Mobile River; improvements to major interchanges and roadways; and modifications to the existing Bayway to provide six lanes of traffic across Mobile Bay. The bridge and associated highway improvements are expected to open to traffic in late 2031.
ALDOT describes the project as the largest transportation infrastructure undertaking in Alabama history. The current construction program follows nearly three decades of planning, engineering, environmental review and financing efforts.
Bridge Design, Foundation Work
The new cable-stayed bridge will provide an additional Interstate crossing over the Mobile River while maintaining clearance for commercial shipping traffic. The planned structure will span a navigation channel approximately 600 ft. wide, with at least 215 ft. of vertical clearance above the water.
The cable-stayed main span is planned to extend approximately 2,575 ft. across the river, supported by two pylons. The western pylon will be located near the Alabama Cruise Terminal, while the eastern pylon will be situated near the Pinto Pass peninsula. High-level approach structures extending approximately 1 mi. on either side of the main bridge will connect the elevated crossing to the surrounding highway network.
The western approach will begin east of the Virginia Street interchange in Mobile. On the eastern side, the bridge will connect to I-10 between the existing Bayway bridges.
Foundation investigations have been part of the project's preconstruction engineering. KMT conducted load testing on 72-in.-diameter steel pipe piles to evaluate their capacity for supporting the bridge's main pylons. The results help engineers assess foundation performance and inform final design decisions.
The bridge's height and long approach structures are necessary to provide clearance for vessels using the Mobile Harbor Federal Navigation Channel while connecting the river crossing to the existing interstate.
ALDOT and KMT have not yet released a confirmed public inventory of the major construction equipment planned for the project or a verified final pylon height.
Highway, Bayway Improvements
In addition to the river crossing, Phase One includes interchange, intersection and traffic-flow improvements throughout the I-10 corridor in Mobile and Baldwin counties.
Planned improvements include connections at Broad Street, Virginia Street and Texas Street in Mobile, along with work near the tunnel approaches and the U.S. 90/98 interchange on the Eastern Shore. The work will connect the new bridge to the existing highway network and improve traffic movement through the corridor.
Rather than replace the entire Bayway during Phase One, ALDOT will restripe the existing structure to provide three travel lanes in each direction. Approximately 1 mi. of the Bayway also will be reconstructed to connect it to the new bridge.
A second phase calls for construction of a new Bayway structure when additional funding becomes available. The original plan to build a new Bayway at the same time as the river bridge became financially difficult following increases in construction, labor and material costs, along with additional engineering and geotechnical challenges.
The revised approach allows Alabama to proceed with the new river crossing and near-term capacity improvements while retaining the longer-term goal of replacing the existing Bayway.
Financing, Regional Benefits
The $3.2 billion Phase One program is supported by a $2.52 billion federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan, a $550 million Bridge Investment Program grant, a $125 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant, state funding and bonds issued through the Alabama Toll Road, Bridge and Tunnel Authority.
The additional capacity is intended to reduce congestion along I-10, strengthen freight connections to the Port of Mobile and improve regional access. The new bridge also will provide an Interstate route for vehicles carrying hazardous materials that are prohibited from using the Wallace Tunnel. Those vehicles currently must travel through local streets and neighborhoods to cross the river.
The project is expected to improve regional connectivity and support hurricane evacuations along the Gulf Coast.
With financing completed and the design-build team authorized to proceed, the project is entering a multiyear construction phase. Work will focus on delivering the new river crossing and associated I-10 improvements, while construction of a replacement Bayway remains dependent on additional funding.
For more information, visit aldot.gov.
