As of July 22nd, the long awaited Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the I-10 Bridge and Bayway widening project is officially out. The statement took roughly 11 years to complete and involved a collaborative effort of the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), South Alabama Regional Planning Commission, and many others. The report considers a range of alternatives for the building of the I-10 Bridge, discloses potential impacts, and demonstrates compliance with environmental laws.
The report addresses “(the) need to increase the capacity of Interstate 10 (I-10) to meet existing and predicted future traffic volumes and to provide a direct route for vehicles transporting hazardous materials, while minimizing impacts to Mobile’s maritime industry.” In agreement with the City of Mobile, ALDOT has identified Alternative B’ as the preferred route for the bridge. According to the DEIS, Alternative B’ is estimated to cost roughly $773.1 million and provide an economic benefits from $549 to 1,006 million. This economic impact will include travel benefits ($9.3 million), construction/retails benefits ($363.3 million), and an immense amount of benefit to congestion ($173 – 690 million). Along with the huge economic impact, the bridge and widening of the Bayway will also benefit safety, “increasing capacity, reducing congestion, promoting safer driving conditions, and providing for more rapid response from emergency vehicles” (DEIS, page 42).
Public hearings have been scheduled for Sept. 23rd and Sept. 29th and a 45 day comment period will begin Sept 23rd through Nov 7th. To view the DEIS and provide comments, please go to mobileriverbridge.com. We also encourage you to come out to the public hearings and voice your support for the I-10 Bridge.
Public Hearings:
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
4 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Alabama Cruise Terminal
201 Water Street
Mobile, AL 36602
Monday, September 29, 2014
4 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Five Rivers Delta Resource Center
30945 Five Rivers Blvd.
Spanish Fort, AL 36527
