Summer travel season is winding down, but the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is picking up speed on the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project. Members of the CAP Team recently met with ALDOT to receive an update and are glad to share that the project is moving forward.

Drivers using Interstate 10 regularly know there’s no avoiding the steady increase in traffic. If you think it’s getting worse, you’re right. Studies show that traffic volumes experienced during holiday weekends and hurricane evacuations will eventually become the daily norm – meaning we’ll see congestion on I-10 year-round, regardless of weather conditions.

With this in mind, ALDOT is working to deliver the proposed Mobile River Bridge and Bayway by 2025. The project includes a six-lane bridge over the Mobile River, a complete replacement of the Bayway – with a new 8-lane structure – and modifications to seven interchanges. The project runs along I-10, beginning at Broad Street in Mobile to just east of the Eastern Shore interchange in Baldwin County.

With an estimated $2 billion price tag, state and federal agencies aren’t able to the cover the cost alone. ALDOT is pursuing an array of funding sources to pay for the project, including a Public-Private Partnership. Revenue from all-electronic toll collection will help fund the project and maintain it once it’s in use.

While we can’t avoid summer traffic, ALDOT can prepare for the growth South Alabama. By bringing the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project to reality, ALDOT will assure that drivers can safely travel between Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Highway users will experience less delays and worry less about backups.

Learn more about the project online at the newly updated www.mobileriverbridge.com.