Background and what's different this time
The Alabama Department of Transportation this month unveiled a new toll plan connected to the Interstate 10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project that now carries an estimated price tag of $3.2 billion. The centerpiece is a new 215‑foot‑tall cable‑stayed bridge over the Mobile River, along with interchange additions or improvements and restriping of the existing Bayway to add lanes.
Under the new financing proposal, motorists with an ALGO Pass would pay a $3 one‑way toll, while those without the transponder would be charged $7.70 per crossing. A monthly unlimited pass is proposed at $60.
How 2026 differs from 2019
Observers and officials point to a far different tone locally than the prolonged opposition that doomed a previous plan seven years ago. In 2019, ALDOT proposed tolls to support a then‑$2.1 billion project and suggested a $6 one‑way toll and a $90 monthly pass. The earlier plan also had considered tolling the existing Wallace Tunnel, and an organized “No Toll” movement — including social media campaigns and public hearings — mobilized quickly.
“I think the fear of tolls has diminished,” said state Sen. Greg Albritton, R‑Atmore, who was involved in the 2019 controversies.
That prior effort unraveled within months, with local officials withdrawing support and Gov. Kay Ivey declaring the plan dead in August 2019. A widely attended public hearing on Aug. 15, 2019, at the Five Rivers Delta Resource Center in Spanish Fort focused public attention on the proposed tolling plan.
- 2019 proposal: $2.1 billion project; $6 one‑way toll; $90 monthly pass; considered tolling the Wallace Tunnel.
- 2026 proposal: $3.2 billion project; new cable‑stayed bridge; $3 one‑way with ALGO Pass, $7.70 without; $60 monthly pass.
- Public response: noticeably muted compared with 2019 opposition.
Local implications for Mobile drivers
For Mobile commuters who cross the Mobile River regularly — whether into Baldwin County or between downtown and points east — the change in toll levels and the availability of a lower ALGO Pass rate could alter monthly transportation costs. The new plan narrows the gap between those who use electronic passes and those who don’t, and reduces the headline monthly cost from the 2019 figure.
| Item | 2019 plan | 2026 plan |
|---|---|---|
| Project estimate | $2.1 billion | $3.2 billion |
| Peak one‑way toll (ALGO) | $6.00 | $3.00 |
| One‑way without pass | — | $7.70 |
| Monthly unlimited | $90 | $60 |
While some social media commenters remain opposed to any tolling, the more restrained reaction this year suggests residents and officials may be calculating trade‑offs between direct user fees and the long‑term benefits of new bridge capacity and improved interchanges.
As the project moves forward, Mobile officials and commuters will be watching public hearings, ALDOT analyses and any final tolling structure closely. Those details will determine both who pays and how traffic patterns on the Bayway and through the Wallace Tunnel evolve.
