A $2.52 billion federal loan has been approved to build the Interstate 10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project, clearing the way for the largest infrastructure project in Alabama’s history. Duffy announced the approval of the low-interest loan, which provides key funding for the $4.15 billion project aimed at fixing a decades-old traffic bottleneck along the Gulf Coast. The massive construction project will replace aging roads, widen Interstate 10, and build a high-clearance cable-stayed bridge over the Mobile River.
US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Beyond easing traffic for interstate commuters and freight trucks, the new bridge will reroute hazardous materials away from the George Wallace Tunnel under the Mobile River, solving long-standing safety and environmental concerns in downtown Mobile.
Because of this, chemical tankers and hazmat trucks must detour through downtown Mobile streets and residential neighborhoods before crossing the river via the Bankhead Tunnel or the Cochrane-Africatown USA Bridge. Official project details released by ALDOT confirm that the new Mobile River Bridge will offer a direct, designated route across the river for commercial hazmat traffic. Federal safety rules currently ban vehicles carrying hazardous, flammable, or toxic materials from entering the Wallace Tunnel beneath the Mobile River. Moving heavy hazardous cargo onto the elevated interstate bypass takes dangerous materials off local streets, lowering safety risks for downtown residents and historic business districts.
“Now that the I-10 grant agreement is a done deal, the state can get shovels in the ground and start moving dirt. The federal loan adds to a previously awarded $550 million federal grant from the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Investment Program, along with state infrastructure bonds. Local commuters will have access to an unlimited monthly pass capped at $60, which state officials have locked against annual toll increases for the first ten years of operation. Individual passenger vehicle trips using the ALGOpass will start at $3.00, while vehicles using out-of-state transponders will pay $7.70 per crossing. Drivers using unregistered pay-by-plate billing will face a $15.40 charge per trip. Main bridge construction is set to begin after final ground preparation, with full traffic opening currently expected in 2031.
In an official statement released by the US Department of Transportation, Transportation Secretary Sean P. ALDOT confirmed that existing non-interstate options, including the Causeway, the Bankhead Tunnel, and the Wallace Tunnel, will remain toll-free for local drivers looking for non-express routes.
“President Trump vowed to get Alabama the infrastructure it deserves, and since assuming office, my department has worked diligently over the last 100 days to make it happen,” Duffy said. The financing secured through the US Department of Transportation operates under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA), which offers flexible repayment terms backed by future toll revenue. Duffy spoke about the strategic value of the federal backing. To repay the construction costs, the new bridge and Bayway system will operate as a toll road once construction is finished. Official financing documents published by the Alabama Department of Transportation outline a tiered toll system built around the state’s ALGOpass electronic transponder system. Construction management is led by the joint venture team Kiewit Massman Traylor.