2010 oil spill dollars at work: Groundbreaking for the $30.5 Million Bayou La Batre City Docks Redevelopment Project

Posted on: Sep 8th, 2025 | Announcements Press Releases Featured News

For a photo album of event images, click here.

MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. -- State and local officials joined project partners and community members on Sept. 8 to break ground on the long-awaited Bayou La Batre City Docks Redevelopment Project, funded through the RESTORE Act of 2012.

The $30.5 million total project investment will redevelop and modernize the historic City Docks, delivering the kind of transformational recovery envisioned after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

“Today’s groundbreaking is the result of years of hard work, dedication, and shared vision. These new docks will create opportunities for our fishermen, strengthen local businesses, and provide gathering spaces for families – all while preserving the proud, small-town character that has long made Bayou La Batre the Seafood Capital of Alabama,” said Bayou La Batre Mayor Henry Barnes.

When construction is complete, the redeveloped docks will feature new facilities designed to serve both industry and community, including:

A 4-lane boat ramp
Parking for 100 trucks with trailers and 240 single vehicles
A 100-slip marina
Fixed dock for seafood sales
Marine fueling station
A 4,200-square-foot multi-use building
Two pavilions with 9,000 square feet of covered space
Expanded greenspace for community events

“The Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster left deep scars across the Gulf Coast. The Bayou La Batre City Docks Redevelopment Project models what the RESTORE Act was meant to do by turning settlement dollars into lasting, visible recovery where it matters most. By building sustainability and resilience into every element, and through strong federal, state, and local collaboration, we are ensuring Bayou La Batre emerges stronger and is positioned for generations of success,” said Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Mobile County is administering the project, with grant oversight provided by ADCNR. The Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council approved the project, and funding is provided by the U.S. Department of the Treasury through the RESTORE Act. This investment, made possible through the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement, focuses on infrastructure that strengthens coastal economies and restores vital ecosystems.

“The County is proud to stand with Bayou La Batre on this once-in-a-generation project. It’s taken years to get to this point, where oil spill recovery dollars are being put to work right where the damage was done,” said District 3 Mobile County Commissioner Randall Dueitt. “This project will restore the working waterfront, strengthen the seafood industry, provide local families with more opportunities to spend quality time together boating and recreational fishing, and deliver the lasting transformation the Bayou has worked for and deserves,” he added.

Construction will be carried out over the next two years by Ben M. Radcliff Contractor, Inc., which was awarded the $24.4 million construction contract on July 16. Moffatt & Nichol serves as the engineering and design lead. Once complete, the redeveloped docks will stand as a lasting symbol of recovery, resilience, and opportunity for the City of Bayou La Batre and Alabama’s Gulf Coast.

Groundbreaking participants: ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship, State Senator David Sessions, State Representative Chip Brown, Mobile County Commissioners Randall Dueitt, Connie Hudson, and Merceria Ludgood, Bayou La Batre Mayor Henry Barnes, Meg Goeker of Moffatt Nichol, Ben Radcliff of Radcliff Construction, and Bayou La Batre City Council representatives.

There was a ceremonial shovel for the late Craig Bryant, in appreciation of his decades of engineering leadership in Bayou La Batre. His work on water, wastewater, and coastal projects enabled major investments like this $30.5 million oil spill–funded redevelopment. Rev. Janie Mallett of the Bayou La Batre United Methodist Church offered the groundbreaking blessing.

Go to www.bayoulabatrecitydocks.com for more information on the Bayou La Batre City Docks Redevelopment Project, its master plan, a video of conceptual renderings, and completed adjacent projects: enhancements to an existing boat ramp, Pavilion/Access Platform/Trail, and the Lightning Point Shoreline Restoration project.

For the full gallery of updated renderings depicting the project concepts and key features, go to https://www.bayoulabatrecitydocks.com/imagine-what-can-be.