(The Center Square) – Alabama leaders celebrated the award of $550 million for a long-proposed bridge over the Mobile River in a news conference this week, but more funds are needed to complete the project.
Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt visited the Port City on Monday, surrounded by some Alabama leaders, some of whom voted against the $12.5 billion infrastructure law that provided the funding.
Despite the infusion, more is needed as cost estimates range from $2.5 billion to $3.8 billion or more to complete it.
At the project's heart would be a 2.5-mile-long cable stayed, six-lane bridge crossing the Mobile River that would supplement the existing tunnels and allow trucks carrying hazardous materials to not have to detour to the Cochrane-Africatown Bridge to the north.
The project would also add 7.5 miles of new bridges with eight lanes over the bay to replace the existing bridges. These new bridges would be constructed above the 100-year storm surge level.
Also seven new interchanges on both sides of the bay would be constructed .
Gov. Kay Ivey said the state would continue to move aggressively forward on the project.
U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl, R-Alabama, said in a post on X that he was looking forward to the project getting underway. Carl voted against the infrastructure bill and said on Monday he'd do so again.
The state has already secured $125 million in federal funds and $250 million from state coffers before the $550 million grant, but a possible loan and tolls will likely be necessary to come up with the rest of the funding.
The bayway is carrying nearly 70,000 vehicles per day according to Transportation Department data , double the original capacity of 36,000. The increase is due primarily to the meteoric growth in Baldwin County in the past few decades.
In 2000, the county had a population of 140,415 according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2010, that grew to 182,265, an increase of nearly 30%. In 2020, the county's growth slowed to nearly 28% compared to the last census, expanding to 231,767.
That's an additional 91,352 residents in only 20 years. During that same time, Mobile County only grew by 3.74%, expanding from 399,843 residents to 414,809.
U.S. Sen. Katie Britt released a statement about the award.
"This critical infrastructure will help tens of thousands of Alabamians commute to work and school every day, provide a safe route for communities to visit family, and enhance the ability of small businesses and local industries to sell their goods, products, and supplies far and wide," Britt said. "This is how federal transportation and infrastructure funds should be spent, and I am proud we worked together to bring these Alabama taxpayer dollars home."
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Alabama, praised the funding in a post on X.
"Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, Alabama is in the midst of a major infrastructure upgrade," Sewell said. "Team Sewell was glad to attend today’s celebration of $550 million for the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Project. Proud to have voted for this transformational funding!"
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