With favorable weather conditions lately, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has been able to maintain a fast pace on construction of the new Intracoastal Waterway Bridge.

A new traffic flow will be implemented in the area when the bridge opens. The bridge will be two lanes of southbound-only traffic, and the Foley Beach Express Bridge will transition to two northbound-only lanes.

ALDOT Communications and Public Relations coordinator James Gordon said the bridge is set to open the week before Memorial Day. The one-way flow of traffic will be effective immediately.

"As always, the timing remains dependent on weather and final construction activities," he said.

The $52 million project aims to reduce congestion, improve access for emergency responders, enhance hurricane evacuation capacity and support continued economic growth in Coastal Alabama, according to ALDOT's page on the project.

The most recent press release on the project states bridge structure and steel girders are complete, superstructure work is 95% complete and roadway work is 90% complete.