SOUTHSIDE– A $22.1 million contract will replace the aging northbound Gilbert’s Ferry Bridge on Alabama Highway 77 between Southside and Rainbow City.

Gov. Kay Ivey announced the award Monday, November 9. The Alabama Department of Transportation selected Scott Bridge Company of Opelika, the lowest of four bidders.

Ivey approved the $22,065,595 contract on November 3. ALDOT also anticipates construction beginning in early 2027, with completion by the end of 2029.

The project will remove the 87-year-old bridge over the Coosa River and replace it with a wider, two-lane northbound crossing. Meanwhile, motorists should expect changing traffic patterns throughout construction.

Wider Bridge Planned

The new bridge will measure 36 feet wide and 910 feet long. It will also carry two 12-foot travel lanes, with 6-foot shoulders on both sides.

By comparison, the existing bridge measures 20 feet wide and 868 feet long. The replacement will rise about 30 feet above the river, compared with about 10 feet for the current structure.

Ivey said approximately 25,000 travelers cross the Coosa River on Highway 77 each day. Although the corridor also has a larger southbound bridge, she said congestion remains a problem for northbound traffic.

Local Lawmakers Welcome Project

State Sen. Andrew Jones described a new northbound bridge as a longstanding regional need. He also said the project would ease congestion for workers and improve school commutes for families in Southside and Rainbow City.

Jones also credited Ivey’s leadership and the Rebuild Alabama program with helping make the project possible.

Meanwhile, state Rep. Craig Lipscomb said he had worked toward replacing the bridge for eight years. He described the aging crossing as a safety concern and an obstacle to traffic and economic growth.

Lipscomb also thanked Ivey for her partnership in advancing the replacement.

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A long-awaited replacement of the northbound Highway 77 bridge over the Coosa River is moving forward.