Gulf Shores Bridge Construction To Resume

The Alabama State Supreme Court has ruled that a lower court did not have the authority to halt the construction of a two-lane bridge in Gulf Shores and reversed a preliminary injunction that halted the project’s construction in May, AL.com reported. The 31-page ruling said the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) and its director, John Cooper, are protected by the Alabama State Constitution, which gives the states and its agencies “absolute immunity” from being sued. An ALDOT spokesman said construction on the Gulf Shores bridge could resume “in the coming weeks.” The bridge, estimated to cost at least $120 million, would be an alternative to Baldwin County Bridge Co.’s Foley Beach Express toll bridge adjacent to The Wharf. The company has since nearly doubled its toll, AL.com further reported. The court rejected Cooper’s argument that the trial court should be required to increase a preliminary injunction bond above $100,000. It also ruled against the contractor of the new bridge, Scott Bridge Co., which sought to recover damages on the preliminary injunction bond.