New proposals have been put forward for the Mobile River bridge project in the US state of Alabama. The project was stopped in 2019 over concerns of the construction cost as well as for the high cost of tolls to drivers to use the link.
The new plan for the bridge will still see tolls being imposed for drivers, but these will be considerably lower than had originally been proposed. The new bridge would carry Interstate 10 across the Mobile Bay. Drivers wanting to avoid paying tolls would still be able to use the existing Wallace Tunnel.
The cost of construction for the new bridge has not been revealed as yet, but the earlier plan was expected to cost as much as US$2 billion. The project will include the bridge itself as well as a new road connection.
The original plan was for an 800m bridge carrying three lanes of traffic for I-10 in either direction. Construction was to have been carried out under the PPP model, a first for Alabama.
A proposal for a new bridge for trucks only was made early in 2021. This would feature two lanes in either direction and cost $725 million. Cars would then have been able to use the Wallace Tunnel under the plans.
This latest proposal sets a toll of $2.50 for cars and the project is expected to cost upwards of $2 billion. In addition to the bridge, the proposal calls for the construction of a raised Bayway measuring 12km. The new connection will reduce congestion and journey times for drivers, providing a better link through to the neighbouring states of Louisiana and Florida.
