The Alabama Supreme Court has upheld a $3.6 million award to the Ellenburg family, who were forced to sell their dream home to the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) for the construction of the new Intracoastal Bridge in Gulf Shores, as reported by WPMI.

ALDOT invoked eminent domain to acquire the approximately 21-acre property, offering the family $1.1 million. The Ellenburgs subsequently sued, arguing that the State failed to provide compensation for the improvements made on the property. A Baldwin County jury ruled in their favor, awarding them $2.9 million in addition to the $1.1 million already paid by the State, plus interest.

ALDOT appealed the decision, but on Friday, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld the $3.6 million total award, which includes $2,937,112 plus $756,744.61 in prejudgment interest.

The proposed Intracoastal Bridge project in Gulf Shores has been in the planning stages for four years, facing a year's worth of bid delays to allow Orange Beach the opportunity to negotiate with the owners of the existing toll bridge. In September 2022, ALDOT opened bids for the bridge's construction. Four bids were received, ranging from a low bid of $51,855,705.17 by Scott Bridge Company to $67,132,281.96 by YG Yates Construction. ALDOT estimated the bridge's cost to be between $49 million and $60 million, with an expected completion date in January 2026.

The Intracoastal Bridge project is currently involved in a separate lawsuit brought by the Baldwin County Bridge Company.

Other Bridge Articles by Gulf Shores News:

• Gulf Shores Bridge Project Update
• City Wants To Make Big Change To Canal Road
• Bridge Plan Official But Lawsuit May Halt Project
• ALDOT Moves Forward On Gulf Shores Bridge
• Gulf Shores Pursues Federal Money For New Bridge
• Mayor Craft Makes Statement About ALDOT and New Bridge
• Gulf Shores close to finalizing response to state on bridges
• City of Gulf Shores Discusses Funding of Road Projects
• 
  More articles from WPMI:
  Alabama Supreme Court affirms $2.9 million judgment against ALDOT for bridge property
• Baldwin County Bridge Company sues ALDOT Director over Gulf Shores bridge
• Emergency hearing in Baldwin County Bridge fight
• ALDOT opens bids for construction of proposed Gulf Shores Intracoastal Bridge
• Gulf Shores seeking $60M to incentivize ALDOT bridge project
• ALDOT moving ahead with 2018 plan for Intracoastal bridge