MOBILE, Ala. – Steel is rising and cranes are in motion over the Tensaw River, but the massive $3.5 billion I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project remains stuck in planning with no clear start date.

Just east of the USS Alabama Battleship, crews are working on a separate $78.8 million bridge replacement along U.S. 90 Causeway, expected to wrap up in January 2027. Despite their proximity, Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) officials stress the two projects are unrelated.

“It’s a separate project,” said Edwin Perry, pre-construction engineer with ALDOT. “It has nothing to do with it.”

The I-10 bridge, slated to be Alabama’s most expensive infrastructure project, has long been touted as a transformative project for the Gulf Coast. The plan calls for a 215-foot-tall cable-stayed bridge across the Mobile River and a new 7.5-mile Bayway to relieve congestion, replace aging infrastructure, and create a hurricane-resistant evacuation route. But questions over financing, tolling, and costs have left the timeline uncertain.

Perry told the Mobile Metropolitan Planning Organization that groundbreaking could occur in early 2026, but he stopped short of offering guarantees. “While we are hopeful that construction can be underway next year, we remain cautious about committing to a specific groundbreaking date,” said Tony Harris, spokesperson with ALDOT, in an email to AL.com.

Design and Funding Progress

‍ALDOT reports that the Mobile River bridge design is nearly complete, while Bayway plans remain less than 50% finished. Geotechnical drilling, pile testing, and field investigations are underway to prepare for eventual construction.

“Each step brings us closer to delivering a vital infrastructure project that will serve the regions for decades,” Harris said. “The project continues to advance on all fronts, and we will provide periodic updates as milestones are reached.”

This year brought two major developments:

• Kiewit Massman Traylor (KMT) was chosen as the joint venture to manage construction of the bridge and Bayway.
• The Trump Administration reaffirmed federal support, naming the I-10 bridge a priority project. A $550 million grant from the Biden Administration’s Bridge Investment Program, awarded in 2024, was also secured—the second-largest grant in the program’s history.

Financing Challenges and Toll Concerns

‍Even with federal commitments, the project’s financing remains unresolved. State officials expect to fund 49% of costs—around $1.75 billion—through low-interest loans under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA).

The toll plan, however, remains a sticking point. Drivers without an ALGO Pass would pay $5.50 per trip, while passholders would pay $2.50. A monthly commuter plan would cost $40. Existing routes—including the Causeway, Wallace and Bankhead tunnels, and Africatown Bridge—would remain toll-free.

Local officials say they’re waiting on firmer cost estimates before moving forward. “We want them to give us the right guaranteed maximum prices,” said Fairhope City Councilman Jack Burrell, chair of the Eastern Shore MPO. “It all has to do with financing and the guaranteed maximum price.”

A Long Road of Delays

‍The project has been under discussion for over a decade, with political debates and public backlash over tolls slowing its progress. Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson reflected on the long wait:

“I was reminded that when I was the chair of the (Mobile) Chamber, the outgoing chair said, ‘in a couple of years, I look forward to the ribbon cutting of that bridge,’” Stimpson said. “That was 14 years ago. I thought we’d have it open by now. But we are where we are. There is progress being made, and Governor (Kay) Ivey has been steadfast in her support.”

If built, the I-10 bridge would be Alabama’s costliest project in history, reshaping mobility between Mobile and Baldwin counties. But for now, the vision of a ribbon-cutting remains years away, with cranes over the Tensaw River serving as a reminder of how much work still lies ahead.

Originally reported by John Sharp in AL. Com.