The city of Mobile in Alabama has been in the news lately, as reported by WPMI.
Construction on the I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project should have already begun. However, due to the project’s ballooning expenses and the need for more federal funding, the state has taken a 60-day pause to reassess. This shovel-ready, six-lane project aims to alleviate gridlock at the tunnels, but it remains uncertain when construction will start.
According to Jack Burrell, Chairman of the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization, the timeline for the project is currently uncertain. He explained that due to inflation and increasing interest rates, the cost of the project has risen significantly. As a result, they are unable to commence the project without federal assistance.
The estimated costs of the project have skyrocketed to a whopping $3 to $3.5 billion, which is almost double the annual budget of the Alabama Department of Transportation. According to ALDOT, they recently held productive meetings with top federal transportation officials who urged them to apply for a low-interest federal loan called TIFIA. This loan could potentially cover almost half of the project’s cost, at 49%. ALDOT has requested that the process be expedited, but it is uncertain when the U.S. Department of Transportation will respond to the request or whether it will be approved.
Burrell expressed, “During our meeting with them in Washington, they informed us that we did not need to convince them of the project’s advantages, as they already comprehended them. Additionally, we are aware that we are prepared to commence the project. We are among the few large-scale projects in the nation that are ready to initiate construction. If we were to receive any indication, whether it is a TIFIA loan, a Mega grant, or a grant through the bridge infrastructure program, any of these would very likely act as the catalyst to commence the project in earnest.”
According to Burrell, it is inevitable that the commencement of construction could face a delay of up to a year.
Burrell reluctantly admitted, “I must say, it pains me to say this, but yes, that is correct.”
According to Burrell, the project’s cost will be eventually covered by tolls, and once it’s paid off, tolls will be eliminated. They are dedicated to ensuring that tolls remain accessible, with a monthly fee of approximately $40 for commuters.
Burrell emphasized that it would be a simple solution to increase the minimum toll by 20% since the cost has gone up by the same amount. However, he stated that they’re not willing to take that route and ALDOT shares the same sentiment. They believe it would be unfair to burden their citizens in such a manner. Burrell reiterated their stance on the matter, stating that they won’t compromise on this decision.
Although ALDOT cannot currently provide a specific timeline for the construction, they are hopeful that the federal funding for the project will be approved this year. Recently, all members of Alabama’s Congressional delegation came together to endorse the project through a letter addressed to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
