The Alabama Department of Transportation has released a new animation and set of graphics depicting the proposed Interstate 10 bridge over the Mobile River, timed to coincide with a pair of public hearings this week on the long-discussed project.
The hearings, one in Spanish Fort and one in Mobile, give residents on both sides of the bay a chance to review the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the project, formally listed as Project No. DPI-0030(005), I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway, covering both Mobile and Baldwin counties.
State transportation officials say the project is meant to address a chronic bottleneck on I-10 by adding capacity to handle current and projected traffic volumes. The plan is also intended to create a more direct route for trucks and other vehicles carrying hazardous materials, while limiting the project’s footprint on Mobile’s working waterfront and maritime industry.
At each open house, attendees will be able to review exhibits and the supplemental environmental study, hear from ALDOT staff about how the project has evolved, and submit formal comments that will be folded into the eventual Final Environmental Impact Statement.
The first hearing is scheduled for Tuesday from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at the Spanish Fort Community Center, located at 7361 Spanish Fort Blvd. A second, identical session follows Thursday from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at the Mobile Civic Center, 401 Civic Center Drive. Anyone driving to the Mobile Civic Center hearing should let parking attendants know they are there for the ALDOT meeting in order to receive free parking.
ALDOT plans to present the same material at both locations, with a formal presentation beginning at 5:30 p.m. each night. Outside of the presentation, the format is an open house, allowing residents to walk through project maps, engineering exhibits and the draft environmental study at their own pace and to ask questions of ALDOT representatives throughout the evening.
Residents who want their comments entered into the official record during the formal public forum portion of each meeting must sign in at the registration table when they arrive. Each speaker will be limited to two minutes, and all verbal comments will be recorded and added to the public record alongside any written submissions.
Those who cannot attend in person, or who prefer to submit comments another way, have several options. Comment forms will be available at both hearings, but residents can also submit comments online at www.mobileriverbridge.com, by email to mrbenvironmental@dot.state.al.us, by fax to (251) 473-3624, or by mail. Mailed comments must be received by 5 p.m. on May 23 and should be addressed to Matt Ericksen, P.E., with the ALDOT Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Project office at 1701 I-65 West Service Road North in Mobile.
Residents who need special assistance to attend either meeting are asked to call Allison Gregg at (251) 604-9790 at least five days beforehand so accommodations can be arranged. More information on the project, including the newly released animation, is available at www.mobileriverbridge.com.
The Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project has been debated for years as officials have weighed how best to relieve congestion on one of the region’s busiest corridors while protecting the port and surrounding neighborhoods. This week’s hearings mark another step in a lengthy federal environmental review process that will ultimately shape how, and where, a new span is built across the river.
The urgency behind the project is underscored by traffic counts at the existing George C. Wallace Tunnel, which currently carries an average of 75,000 vehicles a day and can see as many as 100,000 vehicles during the height of tourist season. That volume is nearly double what engineers originally projected for the crossing, and officials say it has translated into heavier congestion and longer commutes for both residents and visitors traveling between Mobile and Baldwin counties.
ALDOT officials say the finished bridge and bayway are expected to cut travel times between Mobile and the Eastern Shore communities of Spanish Fort and Daphne, while making commutes more predictable for workers who rely on the corridor to reach jobs, schools, medical facilities and recreational destinations. The project is also designed to give trucks hauling hazardous materials a more direct route around the downtown district and to help preserve the views and natural resources of Mobile Bay for future generations.