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ALDOT says phased Mobile River Bridge plan cuts initial cost to about $3.2 billion, outlines tolling framework
Summary
An ALDOT official updated the committee on the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway, saying a phased plan reduces initial construction cost to about $3.2 billion, includes tolling (frequent users $3/trip or $60/month) and aims for financial close and groundbreaking this fall with a roughly five-year construction timeline.
An ALDOT official provided an update on the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project, saying a recently approved, phased approach reduces the initial project cost from "well over $5,000,000,000" to "3,200,000,000 approximately." The plan calls for building a new six-lane Mobile River Bridge now, modifying the existing Bayway to provide six lanes, and returning later to construct a new Bayway.
The official said the U.S. Department of Transportation approved phasing that allows the department to build what is financially achievable now and complete the remainder later. Financing described in the presentation includes approximately 49% TIFIA financing through USDOT, a $550,000,000 bridge investment program grant, a $125,000,000 INFRA grant, at least $250,000,000 in state funding, and the remainder financed through bonds coordinated with USDOT.
On tolling, the official said frequent users would pay "$3 per trip or $60 per month for unlimited crossings," and emphasized that several important alternatives would remain toll-free, including the Causeway, the Wallace Tunnel, the Bankhead Tunnel and the Africatown Bridge. He said the department is working toward financial close on the TIFIA loan and bond financing by mid-September, expects a groundbreaking date to be set in the next few weeks and anticipates approximately five years of construction. "No tolls will be collected until we complete construction and open all the new project to traffic fully," the official said.
The official characterized the project as the largest transportation infrastructure project the department has undertaken, described mobilization activities already underway by the design-build contractor, and said the department expects significant federal participation at groundbreaking. Committee members thanked the presenter and did not raise further substantive objections in the time allotted.
Next steps noted in the update were working toward financial close, continued contractor mobilization and setting a public groundbreaking date; the committee did not vote on project approvals during this meeting.
