Testing to evaluate the strength and stability of concrete foundation piles that will support the new Mobile River Bridge and Bayway will begin this month, as the project is consolidated under one construction team.

The Alabama Department of Transportation announced today, Tuesday, May 6, that the continued development of the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project will move forward under the Kiewit Massman Traylor (KMT) team.

KMT is the joint venture team previously chosen to design and build the cable-stayed bridge portion of the project, according to a press release from ALDOT. KMT has begun key pre-construction testing in Mobile.

“This is an important and positive development for the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project. Kiewit Massman Traylor and their team are hitting the ground running as they take over this portion of the project,” said Ed Austin, ALDOT chief engineer.

As part of the design and pre-construction process, KMT has developed a pile load test program to evaluate the concrete foundation piles. The testing will be conducted at six locations along the planned bridge route. The program will test 24-inch square precast concrete piles to ensure they meet the necessary standards for the project.

Work is expected to take place between May and August, with activity occurring between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Before testing begins, crews will prepare each site and bring in equipment and materials, including cranes, support vehicles and concrete piles.

This testing is not expected to impact traffic on Interstate 10.

The exact cost remains unknown until ALDOT can agree with contractors on a "guaranteed maximum price" and until officials can finalize their application for low-interest federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loans, something that must be done before ground is broken, though ALDOT officials are confident this timeline is still on track for 2025.

Costs have been estimated between $3 to $3.5 billion (almost double ALDOT's annual budget). A $550 million federal grant announced last year for the project is believed to be one of the largest federal grants ever received for an Alabama project, according to the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance.