October 16th, 2026 | Volume 60, Number 2

The Mobile MPO Technical Coordinating Committee/Citizen Advisory Committee (TCC/CAC) will meet on Wednesday, October 28th, 2026 at 10:00 am at the GM&O Building at 110 Beauregard St, Mobile, AL 36602.



The Mobile MPO Policy Board will have a joint meeting with the TCC/CAC on Wednesday, November 18th, 2026 at 10:00 am at the GM&O Building at 110 Beauregard St, Mobile, AL 36602.

The public notice can be viewed HERE.

Recent Scheduling Changes This Week for Mobile MPO

The target start date or project engineers estimated amount has changed for the following:



Project : 100079128 ( RW ) Federal aid number : HSIP 0017 (599) County : MOBILE

Project Description : INTERSECTION RELOCATION AND LEFT TURN LANE INSTALLATION ON SR-17 (US-45) SB AT OAK GROVE RD

Old Target start date : January 01, 2027 New Target start date : February 01, 2027

Project : 100079127 ( UT ) Federal aid number : HSIP 0017 (599) County : MOBILE

Project Description : INTERSECTION RELOCATION AND LEFT TURN LANE INSTALLATION ON SR-17 (US-45) SB AT OAK GROVE RD

Old Target start date : February 01, 2027 New Target start date : April 01, 2027

Project : 100079742 ( RW ) Federal aid number : HSIP 0017 County : MOBILE

Project Description : LANE REDUCTION, SIGNAL BACKPLATES, SIDEWALK, AND LIGHTING ON SR-17 (US-45) FROM I-65 TO OLD CITRONELLE HIGHWAY IN THE CITY OF PRICHARD

Old Target start date : January 01, 2027 New Target start date : March 01, 2027

Project : 100074236 ( CN ) Federal aid number : NH I065 (536) County : MOBILE

Project Description : ADDITIONAL LANES AND BRIDGE REPLACEMENT ON I-65 FROM SR-158 TO CR-41 (CELESTE RD) (BIN 009267,009268)

Old Target start date : January 29, 2027 New Target start date : February 26, 2027

Project : 100082328 ( PE ) Federal aid number : IM I065 (591) County : MOBILE

Project Description : SIGN REPLACEMENT ON I-65 FROM I-10 TO THE CONECUH COUNTY LINE

Old Engineers Estimate : $50,500.00 New Engineers Estimate : $50,000.00

The South Alabama Rural Planning Organization (RPO) met on September 17, 2026. During the meeting, the RPO amended the Transportation Plan to incorporate updated needs lists for all three counties. The FY 2027 RPO Work Program was adopted, along with the Escambia County Safety Action Plan and updates to the 2024-2027 Human Services Coordinated Transportation Plan.

These documents are available HERE.

Over the coming year, staff will work with local elected officials to update the RPO Transportation Plan. Staff will also support ALDOT in conducting public meetings for the State Long Range Transportation Plan update.

Project Letting November 6th, 2026 10:00 AM CDT

BALDWIN COUNTY



For constructing the Roadway Improvements (Southbound Right Turn Lane Addition and Northbound Left Turn Lane Extension) on SR-181 at Corte Road in Daphne. Length 0.236 mi.

The Bracket Estimate on this project is from $378,405 to $462,495 .

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

None at this time.

MOBILE COUNTY

None at this time.

Congress is in recess.

House Transportation Ranking Member Previews Potential Actions Next Congress

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), the frontrunner for committee chair if Democrats achieve a House majority, told reporters that he would aim to quickly pass a multi-year surface transportation bill as chair. The lawmaker expressed hope that Congress could pass reauthorization by June 2027. Larsen also told the press he would aim to pass the contested Railway Safety Act and increase Congressional oversight of the administration's handling of infrastructure grants. 

On Sept. 30, leaders of the Senate EPW and Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committees introduced the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA) of 2026. The legislation would make significant changes to NEPA along with other permitting processes and environmental reviews.

The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act provides certainty that permitted energy and infrastructure projects will retain their permits absent extraordinary circumstances, violations of law, or court order, as well as targeted reforms for various energy projects. This legislation reflects input from members of Congress on both sides of the aisle and from a diverse group of stakeholders. The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act also forces data centers to pay their fair share by requiring them to pay for all of their associated transmission costs.

“For far too long, our broken and outdated federal environmental review and permitting processes have stood in the way of energy reliability, secure jobs, modern infrastructure, and economic growth. The bipartisan reforms we secured in this deal will transform our nation’s ability to power our economy and fuel future growth, while continuing to protect the land, water, and wildlife we all cherish. I look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate and the House, and President Trump to get this essential legislation signed into law so we can build the infrastructure America needs to grow and thrive,” said EPW Chairman Capito.

Continue reading HERE.

Governor Ivey awards more than $6.6 million to increase traffic safety awareness, enforcement across Alabama

Governor Kay Ivey has awarded more than $6.6 million for a combined effort to boost enforcement of traffic laws and to encourage safe driving practices.

The grants to the state’s four regional traffic safety offices will fund overtime for law enforcement officers across the state to target dangerous behaviors including speeding and seat belt violations. The funds will also be used for public education campaigns on topics including the dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs and the importance of using child safety restraints.

“These grants provide our law enforcement officers with resources to enforce traffic laws, discourage dangerous driving behaviors and help people travel safely on Alabama’s roads,” Governor Ivey said.

“I am pleased to award these grants supporting efforts to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities.”

The Mobile County Commission

Received five grants totaling about $1.53 million for the CTSP’s Southwest Region. These grants serve Baldwin, Bibb, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Escambia, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Pickens, Perry, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Washington and Wilcox counties.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Click HERE for full list of recipients and complete article

Contaminated soil found at Mobile River Bridge site

Story by Brad Gunther

UPDATE (10/16/2026, 10:23am) Mobile Baykeeper Communications Director Caine O'Rear issued the following statment:

"We’re still reviewing the report and plan for cleanup. But this is a stark reminder of what’s sitting in the ground in numerous legacy industrial sites along the Mobile River, and of why so many of Alabama’s waterways carry fish consumption advisories. Lead, mercury, PCBs, and arsenic are the kinds of contaminants that work their way into the fish people catch and bring home. Alabamians shouldn’t have to wonder whether the fish they catch are safe to eat. We will continue working to ensure the rules meant to stop contamination like this, and to clean it up where it’s already in the ground, are effective, here and across the state."

A new environmental report reveals widespread soil contamination at a former shipbuilding property along the Mobile River, where construction of the new Mobile River Bridge and its approaches is planned.

The contamination includes elevated levels of lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and PCBs, with environmental consultants warning that construction workers and people using future public green space could be exposed if the property is not properly cleaned up.

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has submitted a cleanup plan for the former Bender Shipbuilding property, which the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) has found technically adequate.

However, documents released as part of the environmental review do not specify how much the cleanup will cost, how much contaminated soil will need to be removed or whether the work could affect the bridge construction schedule.

The environmental assessment, prepared by Southern Earth Sciences for Kiewit Engineering Group, examined two former Bender Shipbuilding parcels near the western bank of the Mobile River.

The property was historically used for shipbuilding and vessel repairs.

Between February and October 2024, environmental consultants collected soil samples from 31 locations and groundwater samples from 11 temporary monitoring wells.

The findings revealed significant contamination.

Lead concentrations in surface soil reached 15,000 parts per million, or 75 times the EPA residential screening level of 200 parts per million used in the report.



Continue Reading HERE.

ALDOT submits cleanup plan for property near new Mobile River Bridge

Story by WALA Staff

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The Alabama Department of Transportation has submitted an environmental cleanup plan for contaminated property that will be used to build the road leading to the new Mobile River Bridge.

State officers sent the plan to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management after tests found elevated levels of PCBs, arsenic, lead and other heavy metals at the site of the former Bender Ship Building, officials said.

ALDOT told FOX10 News the cleanup should not delay construction of the bridge.

“It’s not uncommon to find these sorts of industrial materials on former industrial sites, particularly in an old industrial city like Mobile,” an ALDOT spokesman said. “This is an issue our design builder, KMT, has prepared for, with the associated costs included in the overall cost of the project. There is no anticipated impact on the construction timeline.”

ALDOT broke ground on the project this month. The project will include a new six-lane bridge and reconfiguring the Bayway to allow for an additional lane of travel in both directions.

ALDOT says construction will take about five years.

For video report, click HERE.

Mobile County’s 2026 road and bridge plan: What’s on the Nov. 3 ballot

By Mary Helene Hall

LAST UPDATED October 14, 2026

Mobile County voters will weigh in on $82 million in road and bridge improvements when they head to the polls for the Nov. 3 General Election.

The 2026 Pay-As-You-Go Transportation Improvement Program would fund 39 projects covering 89.8 miles of roadway and six bridges, with no new taxes and no new debt, according to the county. It’s the last item on the Mobile County ballot, listed as “Special County Election.”

What’s in the 2026 Mobile County road and bridge program

Projects on the list include:

• Reconstructing Dauphin Street from Fulton Street to Broad Street
• Widening part of Azalea Road and building a new bridge over Montlimar Creek
• Improving the intersection at Celeste Road and Radcliff Road
• Improving the intersection at Fowl River Road and State Route 193 and replacing the Fowl River Road bridge
• Replacing two bridges on Beverly Jefferies Highway over the Escatawpa River

Every one of Mobile County’s 11 municipalities has at least one project, and the program also covers unincorporated areas.

How Mobile County’s Pay-As-You-Go program works

This is the 21st time the program has appeared on the ballot. Voters have approved it all 20 previous times. Since 1977, it has funded more than 700 projects covering nearly 1,600 miles of roadway and more than 40 bridges.

The county collects the money in advance of each two-year program, which is how it pays for projects without new taxes or debt. Projects typically take several years to finish after approval because of surveying, design, permitting, right-of-way acquisition and construction.

Click HERE for complete article.

Transportation Alternatives Program Grants

Application Deadline: November 6, 2026

The Mobile MPO has announced the availability of the Mobile Urbanized Area Fiscal Year 2027 Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding. Applicants are welcome to submit more than one project.

The TAP provides funding for programs and projects defined as transportation alternatives, including sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian and bicycle signals, traffic calming techniques, as well as projects to achieve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

This year applications will only be accepted electronically. Applicants should email their complete application to transportation@sarpc.org.

Applications are due to the Transportation Planning Department of the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission (SARPC) no later than 12:00 p.m., Friday, November 6^th, 2026.

Electronic versions of the applications are available online at http://mobilempo.org/TAP.html

Project budgets should be itemized and completed by a Professional Engineer that is certified by the State of Alabama.

If you have any questions please call the SARPC Transportation Planning Department at (251) 910 1895 or email Brendan Schwandner at bschwandner@sarpc.org. 

FHWA Announces Funding for Wildlife Crossings

Application Deadline: November 16, 2026

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced late last month approximately $80 million in funding for the FY 2026 Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program (WCPP). The program funds projects to improve the safety of travelers and wildlife by reducing the number of wildlife-vehicle-collisions. The program was first authorized in 2021, but the FY26 iteration includes new application evaluation metrics to align with administration priorities to encourage economic competitiveness, job creation, investment in families, and innovation. Applications for the WCPP are open until November 16, 2026. Metropolitan Planning Organizations, local governments, and regional transportation authorities are all eligible for funding.

Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation & Improvement Program II

What is the ATRIP-II program?

The purpose of the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program-II (ATRIP-II) is to rehabilitate and improve transportation infrastructure by funding projects of local interest, proposed by one or more local governments, related to the state-maintained highway system. Projects may include local roads and bridges essential to such projects.

The program's goal is to address critical needs projects across the state to rehabilitate and improve the in-place facilities and in some cases provide new facilities at locations throughout the state. The program's focus is an emphasis on the public safety, economic growth, and stability of the state and its roads and bridges.

Procedural Guidelines

Application

FAQ

All applications must be submitted electronically no later than 5:00 pm on November 13, 2026.

Applications should be sent in through https://aldot.submittable.com/submit

LODA Artwalk Celebrates Halloween!

This October, celebrate Halloween with a frightfully fun evening of creativity, community, and fun in the heart of Downtown Mobile! Show off your costume and enjoy live performances, shop local artists and makers along Dauphin Street, and explore unique vendors, food trucks, and interactive experiences from 6-9 p.m on October 16, 2026.

Bring the whole family to enjoy hands-on crafts, facepainting, and other activities at the Kids’ Zone. DJ JWalk and Once Upon a Time Friends will also be in Cathedral Square. Discover one-of-a-kind art and experience the vibrant energy that makes LODA ArtWalk one of Mobile’s favorite monthly traditions. Whether you're here for the music, the shopping, or the atmosphere, there's something for everyone to enjoy. 

Click here to learn more! LODA ArtWalk Celebrates Halloween