Alabama Breaks Ground on $3.2 Billion Mobile River Bridge
Governor Kay Ivey and federal officials began construction on the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project to alleviate chronic traffic congestion on Interstate 10.
Alabama officials and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy broke ground on Friday, October 2, 2026, for the first phase of the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project. The $3.2 billion effort is the largest transportation project in state history and aims to replace an existing Interstate 10 crossing that currently handles 95,000 vehicles at peak times despite being designed for 35,000.
Governor Kay Ivey presided over the ceremony at Cooper Riverside Park, describing the project as a win for the Gulf Coast region. The project is funded by a $2.52 billion federal TIFIA loan finalized under the Trump administration and a $550 million grant from the Biden administration. The design-build team, Kiewit Massman Traylor, expects to complete the six-lane, cable-stayed bridge and bayway improvements within five years, with an opening slated for late 2031.
While officials noted the bridge will reduce travel times by over 30 minutes and improve access to the Port of Mobile, the financing plan has sparked political debate. The bridge will charge tolls of $3 per trip with an ALGO Pass or $60 for a monthly unlimited pass. U.S. Representative Shomari Figures criticized the reliance on loans, arguing that commuters could eventually face tolls as high as $15.
Additional political discussions have emerged regarding the bridge's name, with U.S. Representative Barry Moore and other Republican lawmakers proposing it be named the Gateway to the Gulf of America, the Donald J. Trump Bridge.
