I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway

[Alex]

'Hallelujah!' Mobile I-10 project gets $550 million through infrastructure law; When does construction begin?

A $550 million grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bridge Investment Program will go directly toward the estimated $3.5 billion project that includes the construction of a new six-lane, 215-foot-tall cable-stay bridge in downtown Mobile and a new elevated six-lane Bayway.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.fox10tv.com/2024/10/03/questions-raised-about-whether-alabama-can-afford-i-10-bridge-with-250-tolls/

An elected official from the area is complaining about or questioning whether the people in Alabama can afford a $2.50 toll on the new I-10 bridge... 

My response: just let the out-of-state drivers pay the bridge! PROBLEM SOLVED!

[formulanone]

https://www.fox10tv.com/2024/10/03/questions-raised-about-whether-alabama-can-afford-i-10-bridge-with-250-tolls/

An elected official from the area is complaining about or questioning whether the people in Alabama can afford a $2.50 toll on the new I-10 bridge... 

My response: just let the out-of-state drivers pay the bridge! PROBLEM SOLVED!

Shibboleth: pronounce "Mobile" and double-or-nothing on "Sylacauga".

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.fox10tv.com/2025/05/06/usdot-approves-funding-bridge-bayway-project/

Project got APPROVED for the $550 million grant from the USDOT

[Plutonic Panda]

Some progress? The state is applying to some federal pilot program regarding a toll authority:

https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/05/20/alabama-seeks-i-10-bridge-flexibility-application-federal-pilot-toll-program/

[Great Lakes Roads]

Some progress? The state is applying to some federal pilot program regarding a toll authority:

https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/05/20/alabama-seeks-i-10-bridge-flexibility-application-federal-pilot-toll-program/

I believe that this is the same program that Indiana is trying to pursue for the I-70 expansion to six lanes.

[vdeane]

Some progress? The state is applying to some federal pilot program regarding a toll authority:

https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/05/20/alabama-seeks-i-10-bridge-flexibility-application-federal-pilot-toll-program/

I wonder why.  I didn't believe that tolling replacement bridges required that?

[bwana39]

https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/05/23/congressman-figures-says-he-successfully-pushed-increase-annual-funding-mobile-river-bridge/

3. Figures also secured a change to the bill that allows funding for bridge projects across the country to include the removal or modification of tunnels and related highway structures that restrict ship operations. Currently, large container ships are unable to use the entire Port of Mobile—the deepest container port in the Gulf—because of the tunnel that runs through the river. This amendment opens the door for federal funding for the removal of the tunnel in order to maximize the capacity and impact of the Port of Mobile.


So they will be taking the tunnel out as well?

[Voyager75]

https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/05/23/congressman-figures-says-he-successfully-pushed-increase-annual-funding-mobile-river-bridge/

3. Figures also secured a change to the bill that allows funding for bridge projects across the country to include the removal or modification of tunnels and related highway structures that restrict ship operations. Currently, large container ships are unable to use the entire Port of Mobile—the deepest container port in the Gulf—because of the tunnel that runs through the river. This amendment opens the door for federal funding for the removal of the tunnel in order to maximize the capacity and impact of the Port of Mobile.


So they will be taking the tunnel out as well?

Tunnels. The US-90/98 Bankhead tunnel would have to be removed as well, or I would assume. I seriously doubt they would do it as that would require them to build a second bridge for free travel if they still plan on tolling I-10. Remove the tunnels completely and the toll option and I guess the Africatown bridge up river would get way more use for alternate traffic.

I suppose a second basic span could be built right next to the planned I-10 one but that would be an astronomical expensive option for US-90/98.

[jdb1234]

https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/05/23/congressman-figures-says-he-successfully-pushed-increase-annual-funding-mobile-river-bridge/

3. Figures also secured a change to the bill that allows funding for bridge projects across the country to include the removal or modification of tunnels and related highway structures that restrict ship operations. Currently, large container ships are unable to use the entire Port of Mobile—the deepest container port in the Gulf—because of the tunnel that runs through the river. This amendment opens the door for federal funding for the removal of the tunnel in order to maximize the capacity and impact of the Port of Mobile.


So they will be taking the tunnel out as well?

Tunnels. The US-90/98 Bankhead tunnel would have to be removed as well, or I would assume. I seriously doubt they would do it as that would require them to build a second bridge for free travel if they still plan on tolling I-10. Remove the tunnels completely and the toll option and I guess the Africatown bridge up river would get way more use for alternate traffic.

I suppose a second basic span could be built right next to the planned I-10 one but that would be an astronomical expensive option for US-90/98.

More than likely, if the tunnels are removed, US 98 would be routed on the Africatown bridge like US 90 is now.

[Voyager75]

https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/05/23/congressman-figures-says-he-successfully-pushed-increase-annual-funding-mobile-river-bridge/

3. Figures also secured a change to the bill that allows funding for bridge projects across the country to include the removal or modification of tunnels and related highway structures that restrict ship operations. Currently, large container ships are unable to use the entire Port of Mobile—the deepest container port in the Gulf—because of the tunnel that runs through the river. This amendment opens the door for federal funding for the removal of the tunnel in order to maximize the capacity and impact of the Port of Mobile.


So they will be taking the tunnel out as well?

Tunnels. The US-90/98 Bankhead tunnel would have to be removed as well, or I would assume. I seriously doubt they would do it as that would require them to build a second bridge for free travel if they still plan on tolling I-10. Remove the tunnels completely and the toll option and I guess the Africatown bridge up river would get way more use for alternate traffic.

I suppose a second basic span could be built right next to the planned I-10 one but that would be an astronomical expensive option for US-90/98.

More than likely, if the tunnels are removed, US 98 would be routed on the Africatown bridge like US 90 is now.

Which would make sense in the long run once they finally decide to re-route US-98 along the newly expanded AL-158 to MS. Run it up with US-43 to Saraland and then cross over I-65 to join AL-158.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Just east of this project, ALDOT wants to widen I-10 to six lanes from exit 35 to exit 38.

https://www.dot.state.al.us/news/2026/opmNH-I010(352).html

I guess that it is ALDOT's long-term plan to widen I-10 statewide to at least six lanes.

[Voyager75]

https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/07/09/newest-mobile-river-bridge-plan-excludes-bayway-envisions-higher-tolls/

 

Revised, higher tolls and scaled back significantly. No more I-10 Bayway replacement for the foreseeable future. ALDOT just plans to restripe the current one for 3 lanes with no emergency shoulders.

Senators Tuberville and Britt got more funding from the Trump administration to speed up the groundbreaking to the end of this year as long they agreed to this new plan.

[ElishaGOtis]

https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/07/09/newest-mobile-river-bridge-plan-excludes-bayway-envisions-higher-tolls/

 

Revised, higher tolls and scaled back significantly. No more I-10 Bayway replacement for the foreseeable future. ALDOT just plans to restripe the current one for 3 lanes with no emergency shoulders.

Senators Tuberville and Britt got more funding from the Trump administration to speed up the groundbreaking to the end of this year as long they agreed to this new plan.

This just seems like a 2-phase project, with phase 1 being the cable stayed bridge and phase 2 being the Bayway replacement.

All that said, it'll be interesting to see which transponders will be interoperable with this new "ALGO Pass," especially considering they hinted at transponder discrimination ($3 ALGO, $7.70 toll-by-plate / other tag).

The interim lack of shoulders thing, however, is gonna hurt...   

[Voyager75]

https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/07/09/newest-mobile-river-bridge-plan-excludes-bayway-envisions-higher-tolls/

 

Revised, higher tolls and scaled back significantly. No more I-10 Bayway replacement for the foreseeable future. ALDOT just plans to restripe the current one for 3 lanes with no emergency shoulders.

Senators Tuberville and Britt got more funding from the Trump administration to speed up the groundbreaking to the end of this year as long they agreed to this new plan.

This just seems like a 2-phase project, with phase 1 being the cable stayed bridge and phase 2 being the Bayway replacement.

All that said, it'll be interesting to see which transponders will be interoperable with this new "ALGO Pass," especially considering they hinted at transponder discrimination ($3 ALGO, $7.70 toll-by-plate / other tag).

The interim lack of shoulders thing, however, is gonna hurt...   

Oh no doubt they'll build the new Bayway but I'm thinking 10 years out minimum. Tolling will pay for the striping and new Bayway so it's going to take a while. So the current Bayway will be a nightmare for another 6-7 years...plus with tolls added I assume once you pass US-90/98 in Daphne. The new bridge was supposed to be tied into the new Bayway bridges at the same time but the new Bayway is supposed to be 10-15 feet higher so I guess they'll re configure the eastern end to transition further down into the old ones. Guess they could just build stubs out of the bridge for the new Bayway like Baltimore did with the never built I-95/I-70 interchange back in the day.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/07/09/newest-mobile-river-bridge-plan-excludes-bayway-envisions-higher-tolls/

 

Revised, higher tolls and scaled back significantly. No more I-10 Bayway replacement for the foreseeable future. ALDOT just plans to restripe the current one for 3 lanes with no emergency shoulders.

Senators Tuberville and Britt got more funding from the Trump administration to speed up the groundbreaking to the end of this year as long they agreed to this new plan.

This just seems like a 2-phase project, with phase 1 being the cable stayed bridge and phase 2 being the Bayway replacement.

All that said, it'll be interesting to see which transponders will be interoperable with this new "ALGO Pass," especially considering they hinted at transponder discrimination ($3 ALGO, $7.70 toll-by-plate / other tag).

The interim lack of shoulders thing, however, is gonna hurt...   

I love when states charge a higher toll for an out-of-state transponder, NOT!
Restripe the causeway to three lanes with no shoulders? I don't like that! 

[Plutonic Panda]

Am I missing something here? The old proposal was shut down because the tolls were too high. Now they come back with even higher tolls, but they're blaming inflation and they're scaling the project back? Even if they're breaking it up in the phases, which I'm not a fan of, but if that's what has to be done that's what it has to be done. I'm also not up in arms about the tolls but again I don't live in this area. I may pass through here once or twice a year at most.

And I didn't read anything about the existing tunnel so that thing for sure is done?

[Beltway]

ALDOT's project along I-10 is estimated to cost $3.7 billion and will include construction of a new six-lane, cable-stayed bridge over the Mobile River navigational channel that bypasses two aging tunnels and new bridges replacing the existing Bayway Bridges crossing the Mobile Bay. The new bridges crossing the Mobile Bay will also raise the roadway above hurricane storm surge levels. The project corridor is just over 10 miles long. Bridge Investment Program funding provided under the finalized grant agreement will be used for the Bayway portion of the project.

https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/icymi-trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-delivers-critical-bridge

A megaproject about the same length as HRBT Expansion Project.  They were able to finance that 95% thru HRTAC a regional transportation taxation and funding authority.

FHWA needs a dedicated 90% federal program for Interstate expansion. The Mobile River Bridge and Bayway is the perfect example of why the current model fails, as ADOT funding streams are completely inadequate. States cannot fund multi‑billion‑dollar national freight corridors alone.

The new Bayway bridges would be high enough to be above a 30 foot hurricane storm surge. The existing ones are about the same height as the ones destroyed in New Orleans and Pensacola on I-10 by hurricanes.