TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has awarded a $167 million contract to replace the Woolsey Finnell Bridge, the aging US-82 crossing over the Black Warrior River that links Tuscaloosa and Northport.
Scott Bridge Company was the lowest of three bidders and won the contract on Oct. 14. Gov. Kay Ivey announced the award the next day. Construction is expected to begin in early 2027 and could last up to four years.
What's being built
The project replaces the current four-lane bridge with a modern six-lane bridge over the Black Warrior River. A dedicated shared-use path will carry pedestrians and bicyclists across the river.
The contract also covers:
- Replacing the bridge over Campus Drive
- Widening McFarland Boulevard (US-82) to add travel lanes
- About 1.5 miles of work, from near Rice Mine Road to the ramps at the University Boulevard interchange
This stretch of McFarland is one of Tuscaloosa's busiest roads, carrying about 50,000 vehicles a day.
Why replace it
The Woolsey Finnell Bridge dates to the 1960s. Wallace McAdory III, ALDOT's West Central Region engineer, told a Tuscaloosa transportation summit in November 2025 that the bridge is considered functionally obsolete. He said it has no shoulders and was not designed to withstand the impact loads of river barges.
Ivey said the four-lane bridge has caused rush-hour congestion for drivers crossing the river. McAdory said in the award announcement that replacing the old bridges and adding capacity will keep traffic moving safely and reliably for decades.
How the project grew
The job did not start out as a full replacement. ALDOT first planned to widen the existing bridge by one lane in each direction. McAdory credited a federal earmark secured by former U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby with turning it into a new bridge.
The price has climbed along the way. ALDOT estimated about $125 million in 2024, according to WBRC. By November 2025, the estimate had reached about $130 million, according to the Tuscaloosa Thread. The winning bid came in at $167 million.
City leaders weighed in early. At a June 2024 meeting, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox called it one of the city's most important infrastructure projects. City officials raised concerns about business access near the Campus Drive exit, room for pedestrians and cyclists, and how the bridge would fit with the University of Alabama's plans for a possible new arena nearby. ALDOT said at the time that local input would be considered during design.
How it's paid for
A large share of the money comes from a $100 million earmark in the 2023 federal omnibus spending bill, secured by Shelby before he retired. Ivey thanked him for it when announcing the award. The state has not released a full breakdown of the remaining funding.
The contractor
Scott Bridge Company has deep roots in Southeastern river work. Its history goes back to 1933, when Scott Construction Company was formed in Thomasville, Georgia. It was incorporated as Scott Bridge Company in 1965. The firm is known for river bridges, with past projects on the Warrior, Alabama, Coosa, Tennessee and Chattahoochee rivers, and it has been a member of the Alabama Road Builders since 1947.
The award announcement did not name the other two bidders or their bids.
Traffic during construction
Drivers should expect shifting traffic patterns throughout the job. ALDOT says the contractor will keep two lanes open in each direction on US-82 while work is underway. More details on scheduling, traffic impacts and public outreach will be posted at upgrademcfarland.com as the project moves forward.
Timeline
Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
1960s | Woolsey Finnell Bridge built |
2023 | $100M federal earmark in omnibus spending bill |
June 2024 | City leaders raise design and access concerns |
Nov. 2025 | ALDOT targets 2026 bid letting |
Oct. 14, 2026 | Contract awarded to Scott Bridge Company |
Early 2027 | Construction expected to begin |
Up to 4 years later | Expected completion |
What it means for contractors
A $167 million, multi-year river bridge job means steady subcontract work in west Alabama. Building a new bridge over the Black Warrior River will draw marine and foundation crews, pile driving, concrete and rebar, and steel or precast girder work.
The McFarland widening and Campus Drive bridge add roadway, paving, drainage, utility relocation and signal work. Keeping four lanes of traffic open on one of the city's busiest roads will also mean a long run of traffic control and phased construction.
Scott Bridge has not announced its subcontracting plans. Firms interested in the work should watch for outreach as the project moves toward its early 2027 start.