The Mobile Bay Ferry is getting an upgraded home on the Dauphin Island side, as the Alabama Department of Transportation prepares to begin construction on a new boarding dock and surrounding amenities.
Work is set to begin in the coming days on a wider dock, new fencing and a covered shelter with benches for waiting passengers. The new structure is being built just west of the ferry’s current dock, next to the existing snack bar and restroom facility on the island side of Mobile Bay. ALDOT says the construction is designed to have only a minimal effect on the ferry’s regular schedule, so riders should not expect major disruptions while crews work.
The project is being funded in part through a grant from the Ferry Boat Discretionary Fund, a federal program administered by the Federal Highway Administration that helps support ferry infrastructure around the country. The Mobile Bay Ferry, which links Dauphin Island to the Fort Morgan peninsula in Baldwin County, is a popular route for both tourists and commuters looking to avoid the drive around the bay. Last year alone, the ferry carried close to 194,000 passengers across the bay, underscoring how heavily used the crossing has become.
The improved dock is expected to make boarding smoother and more comfortable, particularly during peak travel periods when lines can stretch out in the sun or rain. A covered shelter with seating should give walk-on passengers and cyclists a place to wait out of the weather, while the wider dock and new fencing are meant to improve safety during loading and unloading.
The ferry upgrade comes as ALDOT and Mobile and Baldwin county crews juggle a long list of other transportation projects around the region this fall, from downtown Mobile utility work to highway resurfacing on Interstate 10 and continued construction at the Little Lagoon Pass bridge in Baldwin County. Officials have said the Dauphin Island ferry work is being scheduled carefully so it does not compound delays travelers may already be seeing elsewhere in the area.
Riders planning trips on the Mobile Bay Ferry in the coming weeks are encouraged to check for any schedule notices, though officials expect the crossing to keep running close to normal throughout construction.