UNITED STATES OF AMERICA —The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has awarded a 22.07 million US dollar highway construction contract to Scott Bridge Company. Approved by the state executive administration following a competitive bid opening, the infrastructure project entails replacing the historic 87-year-old Gilbert's Ferry Bridge along State Route 77 in Etowah County, Alabama.
The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is the primary state government agency responsible for designing, constructing, and maintaining Alabama's public highway networks and transportation infrastructure. Scott Bridge Company is an Opelika, Alabama-based heavy civil engineering contractor specializing in complex bridge construction, marine structures, and highway foundations across the southeastern United States.
The contract scope includes replacing the existing 20-foot-wide truss structure with a modern two-lane span measuring 910 feet in length and 36 feet in width. Elevated 30 feet above the Coosa River, the new northbound bridge will incorporate dual 12-foot travel lanes and 6-foot safety shoulders. Funding combines state appropriations under the Rebuild Alabama program with 3 million US dollars in federal allocation. Construction is scheduled to commence in early 2027 with target completion by late 2029.
This infrastructure expansion addresses long-standing corridor bottlenecking for approximately 25,000 daily commuters between Southside and Rainbow City. For regional freight logistics, municipal planning authorities, and commercial transport operators, modernizing key river crossings expands regional load capacity, improves corridor safety, and supports broader economic growth across Northern Alabama.
