Planning, design work begins on I-10 bridge, Bayway

By GUY BUSBY
Government Editor
guy@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 2/8/23

DAPHNE — State officials are moving ahead with plans to design the new Interstate 10 bridge over the Mobile River and new Bayway project and said they hope to start construction by the end of …

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Planning, design work begins on I-10 bridge, Bayway

Posted

DAPHNE — State officials are moving ahead with plans to design the new Interstate 10 bridge over the Mobile River and new Bayway project and said they hope to start construction by the end of 2023.

At the Feb. 1 meeting of the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization, Matt Ericksen, division engineer of the Alabama Department of Transportation said the overall project is being divided into two sections for planning.

The first project will be for the new bridge over the Mobile River. The second project will be the elevated highway over Mobile Bay.

"We're making some very good progress on the procurement here and real soon we should have an announcement on the design-build team that will be working on Project 1," Ericksen said. "Then we are working on the procurement of a design-build team for Project 2, which is the Bayway replacement. Registration is due to ALDOT on Feb. 10. As soon as we have a design-build team for Project 1, we will immediately start working on the design aspects with them and moving that process along."

He said ALDOT is also working with the U.S. Department of Transportation on loans to finance the project through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, known as TIFIA.

"We started those discussions," Ericksen said. "It will be a busy year this year for the Mobile River Bridge."

In response to questions by MPO members, he said state officials hope to start construction by the end of 2023.

"Hopefully by the end of the year. That's the plan," he said.

Tony Harris, ALDOT spokesman, said state officials are working to on funding and designs for the total project.

He said the Alabama Toll Road Bridge and Tunnel Authority met recently to update plans for funding. The previous plan for the bridge and Bayway called for an outside company to build the project and operate the tolled route for up to 50 years.

The ESMPO rejected the previous plan in 2019. The draft proposal approved by the MPOs of Mobile and the Eastern Shore called for the state to build and operate the bridge.

"The new resolution specifies that the project would continue under development based on the framework provided to MPOs meaning the debt stack the funding and the financing would be handled by the state, the Toll Road Bridge and Tunnel Authority with ALDOT and not a concessionaire," Harris said. "It also it also authorizes the department to undertake the process of selecting the best value proposer and then negotiating with the best value proposer for a guaranteed maximum price on the bridge portion of the project."

Another draft of the plan called for the bridge to be constructed first and the Bayway expanded later after the bridge was complete. The plan now calls for work to move ahead for the route over the river and bay at the same time.

Harris said, however, planning and designs for the two projects will be handled separately.

"We're splitting the bridge portion and the Bayway portion into two separate scopes of work," Harris said. "That's not to say that the same joint venture team ultimately may not have both pieces of it, but just for project development and funding and financing purposes, they are split into two projects."

The bridge is expected to cost about $2.7 billion, according to state estimates. A toll will be charged on the bridge and Bayway until the costs are paid. The new bridge and Bayway will include a toll. The standard toll will be $2.50 for vehicles with a state-issued transponder and $18 for trucks. Drivers will also be able to buy a monthly pass for $40 that will allow unlimited use, according to reports.

The Causeway, Wallace Tunnel, Bankhead Tunnel and Africatown Bridge will not be tolled under the plans approved by the MPOs.

Construction is expected to take five years to complete.