Interstate 10

Mobile River Bridge

Within the state of Alabama, Interstate 10 will eventually be relocated onto a new alignment and bridge over the Mobile River. Associated work will rebuild the Mobile Bayway from twin two lane bridges to an eight lane viaduct system. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement was released on July 22, 2014 for the new bridge and Bayway widening.

First envisioned in the 1990s, the proposed 2,300 foot long bridge was estimated to cost $350 million, with funding primarily from federal dollars. A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner R-Mobile indicated in 2003 that local officials have to agree to support the plan first, but that support was not concrete. However then-Mayor Mike Dow of the city of Mobile gave the project his full support. Mobile County Commission President Freeman Jockisch concurred with that, adding that Mobile area leaders were united in their support for the project. 2003 state traffic studies concluded that the Wallace Tunnel was reaching capacity and that the adjacent Bayway, the seven mile twin viaduct over Mobile Bay, was in need of expansion. The average daily traffic for the Wallace Tunnel in 2002 was 59,898 vpd. The tunnel was designed to handle 36,000 vpd.1,15

A unique bridge design was sought for the span, with “V” shaped towers built on single piers. Ron Poiroux, then-division engineer at the Alabama DOT District 9 Mobile Office, indicated that it was up to the U.S. Congress to approve the $200 million bridge and $150 million Bayway expansion. A $650,000 feasibility study was previously completed in 1997. The project was slated to take about eight years to complete, with a potential completion date by 2012.1 As of 2012, no bridge plan was agreed upon by city or DOT officials and the tunnel and Bayway remained with four overall lanes.

The new span gained traction in 2013, with more public support and potential funding, leading to the DEIS issued in July 2014. The 2014 estimate for building the Mobile River bridge and expand the Bayway is $850 million.15

With funding secured and rights of way purchased, construction was anticipated to take six to eight years to complete. The cable stayed span would provide a vertical clearance of 215 feet.15 All electronic tolling would be implemented both on the new bridge and the George Wallace Tunnel to cover the costs. The tunnel would remain open, serving local traffic to Downtown Mobile, and be designated as Business Loop I-10.

Growing community opposition to tolling of the Mobile River Bridge and overall costs rising to over $2 billion, ultimately resulted in the cancellation of the project. The Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization withdrew the Interstate 10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project from its short term plan in August 2019. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey declared the transportation plan as dead following the vote.17

The Mobile River and Bayway project was eventually revised to limit car tolls to $2.50 and not include tolling the adjacent Wallace or Bankhead Tunnels. These changes resulted in the Eastern Shore and Mobile Metropolitan Planning Organizations both endorsing the $2.1 billion plus project in unanimous votes on December 15, 2021. The project previously received $125 million in funding from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding American (INFRA) grant required usage by September 2022.18