In the photo log dated October 16, 2026, crews are fitting stained wood planks into the ceilings of the new pavilions. Fresh asphalt covers the south-side parking. A sheet-pile cofferdam holds back the bayou where the new boat launch will go, and crews are driving pilings for future boat docks. One photo looks out over the water from the deck of the new Marina Building.
The City Docks site closed on September 9, 2025, and the posted estimate for the end of construction is August 2027. That puts the project a little past the halfway mark. The waterfront going up is designed as much for a Saturday market crowd as for a truck and trailer, and its opening day is a separate milestone from the end of construction.
The old ramp set against the new plan
The baseline is what was there before. Outdoor Alabama's listing for the Bayou La Batre launch, at the end of Shellbelt Road at the mouth of the channel, still describes one ramp, two courtesy docks and about 40 parking spaces. The project site lists what the city will have when the work is done.
| Feature | Old launch, per ADCNR listing | Redeveloped City Docks |
|---|---|---|
| Boat ramp | 1 ramp | 4-lane ramp |
| Truck-trailer parking | About 40 spaces total | 100 spaces |
| Car parking for events | None listed | 240 spaces |
| Slips | None listed | 100-slip marina |
| Seafood sales | None listed | Fixed dock for sales off the boat |
| Fuel | None listed | Marine fueling station |
| Buildings | None listed | 4,200 sq ft multi-use building, 2 pavilions |
The jump in launch capacity is large, but look at the parking split. The plan sets aside 240 spaces for single cars at community events and 100 for trailers. The site is meant to hold more cars that never touch the water than rigs that do.
A waterfront built around the shrimp boats
The clearest picture of what the city wants comes from an industry notice Marina Dock Age published in July 2026. It describes fixed dockage where small and medium shrimp boats can sell seafood straight to the public, plus seafood and farmers market space, two open-air pavilions for events and private rentals, marine retail and concessions, public restrooms, and greenspace for community events. The 100 slips are planned for recreational, charter and commercial boats alike. The notice also lists passive shoreline access and eco-tourism along the restored Lightning Point shoreline.
The photo log matches that plan. The September 16 entry shows the West Pavilion, a sign under construction at the plaza stage, and the harbormaster's office inside the Marina Building with windows facing the bayou. A plaza stage was not part of the old launch. It belongs to the event space the parking table is built around.
The money behind it ties to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill. WKRG reported in September that the project is funded through the 2012 RESTORE Act, with total funding of about $30.5 million. That total also paid for a feasibility and scope study. Matthew Jones, deputy environmental services director with the Mobile County Commission, told WKRG the studies were meant to make sure the project served the community. "So the elements that you see here, all of this package was put together to have the most economic bang for the buck," he said.
The construction price shows up two ways. Mobile County's July 2025 contract announcement put the contract with Ben M. Radcliff Contractor at $24.4 million, with Moffatt & Nichol leading engineering and design. WKRG's September 2026 report gave a projected construction cost of $25.1 million and quoted Jones saying the project is on budget.
Why opening day comes after the last nail
Mayor Henry Barnes told WKRG in September that the work is "moving right along" and that "they're working every day." He and Jones both said the project is on schedule to finish in August 2027. No delay has been announced.
The schedule that matters for a boater has more steps than that. The city plans to hire an outside firm to run the marina, which it describes as a self-sustaining, revenue-generating operation. Here is the order of events as published:
- September 8, 2025: groundbreaking ceremony.
- September 9, 2025: site closes for the length of construction.
- August 14, 2026: the city and Moffatt & Nichol hold an Industry Day at City Hall, 13785 South Wintzell Avenue, for marina owners and operators interested in the management contract.
- January 2027: anticipated release of the solicitation for that contract.
- August 2027: estimated end of construction.
- Fall 2027: anticipated start of the City Docks grand opening.
On that calendar, the spring and summer of 2027 still fall inside the closure. Any boater planning next season around the new four-lane ramp should plan to launch somewhere else.
Where to put in until then
These are the nearest public options, with details from the state's Outdoor Alabama ramp listings and Mobile County. The ADCNR pages carry no date, so call before you tow.
- Delta Port Marina, Coden. 5080 Green Drive, off State Highway 188. One ramp, two courtesy docks, about 40 unmarked spaces and restrooms. ADCNR lists the launch as free. It is about the same size as the old Bayou La Batre ramp, which makes it the closest match.
- Jemison's Bait & Tackle. 16871 Dauphin Island Parkway, just north of Heron Bay. Two ramps, two courtesy docks, about 30 spaces and restrooms. ADCNR notes the ramp is not state-maintained.
- Billygoat Hole, Dauphin Island. On Bienville Boulevard beside the Mobile Bay Ferry landing. Four ramps, five courtesy docks, about 45 spaces and restrooms. It is the only nearby option with as many lanes as the planned City Docks ramp.
- Little Billygoat Hole, Dauphin Island. On Bienville Boulevard across from Fort Gaines, next to the Estuarium. Two ramps, three courtesy docks, about 30 spaces.
- Bayfront Park, Coden. 15961 Dauphin Island Parkway. Paddlers only. Mobile County says kayaks and canoes can launch from its beach.
Another option is under construction. WKRG reported in May on a $6.5 million contract for a new two-lane launch at Cedar Point in Coden. In June, WKRG reported that work was set to begin June 29, 2026, with about a year of construction. If that holds, Cedar Point and the City Docks would open within months of each other in 2027. The south end of the county would go from a thin set of ramps to six new lanes in one year.
Following the build in the meantime
The project posts photo updates about once a month on its construction updates page. Between August and October the entries moved from fabric and gravel going into the trailer lot to asphalt and roof planks.
Until the pavilions open, the nearest big fall gathering is inland. On Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7, the 8th Annual Christmas on the Bayou Shopping Spectacular fills the Bayou La Batre Community Center on Padgett Switch Road. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, with vendors, food trucks, a silent auction and Santa photos. Admission is $5 and free for children 12 and under, and proceeds go to the Bayou La Batre Senior Center.
If you own a home near the waterfront and want to talk through how a four-lane ramp, a seafood market and an event lawn could change your corner of Bayou La Batre, Jessica Nguyen follows this project closely and is glad to walk through it with you. Schedule a free consultation and we'll start with your street.
