U.S. Provides $2.52 Billion Loan for Alabama I-10 River Crossing Project, Full Construction to Begin in October

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 18, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that it will provide a TIFIA loan of up to $2.52 billion through the Build America Bureau to the Alabama Toll Road, Bridge and Tunnel Authority for Phase 1 construction of the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project. The Alabama Department of Transportation completed the financial close of bonds and the federal loan on the same day, fully securing the $3.2 billion in construction funding for Phase 1, with plans to authorize the design-build team to enter full-scale construction on October 1.

Phase 1 will build a new six-lane cable-stayed bridge over the Mobile River on Interstate 10, with three lanes in each direction on the new bridge, connecting to the existing Mobile Bay Bayway. The existing 7.5-mile Bayway will be restriped from two lanes in each direction to three lanes in each direction, with approximately 1 mile of bridge section to be rebuilt to complete the alignment connection between the new river crossing and the existing Bayway. The work also includes improvements to major interchanges, intersections, and traffic organization along the route in Mobile County and Baldwin County.

The new Mobile River Bridge adopts a long-span cable-stayed design, with a minimum navigational clearance of 215 feet above the waterway. The previously published baseline design shows a main span of approximately 1,380 feet, with side spans of approximately 585 feet each, and three 12-foot travel lanes in each direction on the deck, along with inside and outside shoulders. Elevated approach viaducts will gradually rise from both banks of the Mobile River to connect with the main span of the new bridge and the existing I-10 alignment.

Design and construction work is being advanced by the Kiewit Massman Traylor joint venture. The team has previously conducted pile load tests, testing 24-inch square precast concrete piles at six locations along the planned bridge alignment to verify the bearing capacity and stability of the new bridge foundations. Before financial close, geological surveys, test piles, construction site preparation, and procurement of long-lead equipment and materials had already begun on site.

In addition to the $2.52 billion TIFIA loan, the $3.2 billion in Phase 1 construction funding also includes project bonds issued this month. At the federal level, $550 million in large bridge funding from the Bridge Investment Program and $125 million in INFRA funding have previously been provided for the corridor. According to 2024 project information from the Federal Highway Administration, the original overall project estimate was $2.67 billion, after which Alabama adjusted the project to phased implementation due to changes in construction costs, labor and material prices, and the geological and engineering conditions of the Bayway.

The new bridge will provide an Interstate 10 highway crossing of the Mobile River for hazardous materials vehicles. Currently, hazardous materials vehicles are prohibited from using the George Wallace Tunnel and must detour through Mobile city streets. The I-10 corridor where the project is located also serves Mobile Port freight distribution and regional passenger and freight transportation. According to previous statistics from the Federal Highway Administration, the corridor carries approximately 78,000 vehicles per day, including approximately 10,140 trucks.

Phase 1 is scheduled to open to traffic around the end of 2031. No tolls will be charged during construction, and tolling will begin after the new bridge and Phase 1 project enter operation. Standard passenger vehicles using the ALGO Pass are planned to be charged $3 per trip, with a $60 monthly unlimited passage plan also available. The existing Wallace Tunnel, Bankhead Tunnel, Africatown Bridge, and Causeway will continue to remain free of charge. Phase 2 will build new Bayway bridge structures after subsequent funding is secured.