Table of Contents
Things tend to wear down after a certain period of time either from too much use or from natural causes such as weathering or corrosion. When a child ages, they also grow out of their clothes and replace them with something more suitable. Once something no longer meets certain requirements to us, we tend to upgrade or replace them with something new. The same is true behind buildings and architectures. After time, a building after much use, gets to the point of collapsing. An example, such as a bridge, is built with the intention of getting people to a place quicker and more efficiently. Inevitably, overtime, it will need replacing after being in an unstable condition such as the Harbor Bridge in Corpus Christi, Texas. This project will include a reconstructed bridge along the Port of Corpus Christi that will highlight the beauty of our coast and benefit the community in a positive way.
Current Bridge
As you may know, the city of Corpus Christi is getting a brand new and remodeled harbor bridge since the current bridge is not expected to last much longer. The bridge needs to be replaced as millions of dollars were being put in to care for it because of corrosion. This was due mainly because the bridge was built out of steel. In Corrosion Doctors.com it was said that “The average annual cost through year 2011 for just maintaining the overall bridge conditions was estimated to be $5.2 billion. While corrosion of the reinforcing steel was not the sole cause of all structural deficiencies, it was a significant factor that has become a matter of major concern.” To eliminate this problem, the new Harbor Bridge will be constructed out of concrete.
The Harbor Bridge as we know it, was first built in 1959, over 60 years ago, with a total budget of $11 million dollars “which is the equivalent of $90 million today” making it almost 9 times less expensive than what the new planned bridge is expected to cost. The 1959 bridge was intended to only last 50 years, meaning that by the year 2009 its life expectancy would’ve ran out. That means that the bridge has been overused for nearly 10 years! Also, an average of 26,000-60,000 vehicles pass through the bridge each day. For this reason, contractors and the city are in a rush to finish the new project which isn’t expected to be ready until the Spring 2021.
127 our experts are availableright now
The Texas Department of Transportation also known as the TxDOT reviewed the bridge as well and came to the conclusion that the current Harbor Bridge did indeed require a new structure as well as a highway since they were both labeled as unsafe and hazardous for civilians. The bridge also lacks shoulders in case of emergencies and does not provide a wide enough walkway for pedestrians or bikers to access. In today’s standards, the bridge also has a height of 138 feet above water, making it challenging for large ships to pass through.
New Harbor Bridge
The project named “Harbor Bridge Replacement-US 181” first broke ground on August 8th of 2016 and has since then involved around the clock construction. At first, the bridge was under pre-construction which meant that preparation took place before any actual construction began. Pre-construction on Interstate Highway-37 also began around the same time. It wasn’t until the Summer of 2017 when the actual construction of the new bridge began. Not only will the new bridge allow for easier transportation, it will also allow for an expansion on trade in the Port of Corpus Christi. ” The new bridge will also allow the TxDOT to improve safety by decreasing the number of accidents, providing better opportunities for people throughout the Corpus Christi area, and withstand future traffic demand.” With a height of 205 feet above water, and a span length of 1,661 feet, it will be the longest concrete cable-stay bridge in the U.S. It will consist of three lanes in each direction with a total of six lanes, a barrier, wide shoulders, and a path for pedestrians. It will also come with white cables in a triangular form and include LED lighting, a plaza, and spires that will be labeled as the tallest structures in the Coastal Bend. The bridge will also consist of new towers which will each accumulate to a length of 538 feet in height. Due to the cost and time put into building the bridge, it is expected to last about 170 years in the long run. As said by Governor Abbott “This bridge has accelerated economic opportunity for this region, as well as the rest of the state. There will be more commerce, economic development, and jobs. This bridge will transport the U.S from one economic era to a new more prosperous era.”
More to the Project
Besides the construction of a new bridge, the city also planned more changes toward the area. Not only will the people of Corpus Christi get a new bridge, the project will also include the construction of a new ”interchange” at Interstate 37, U.S Highway 181, and the Crosstown Expressway. This will allow for faster and easier routes to get to and from places. Besides the addition of an interchange, Interstate 37 will consist of 1.6 miles of reconstructed road and the Crosstown Expressway will get a redesigned look as the current road is in poor condition. In total the project will consist of 6 ½ miles of newly constructed roads made from asphalt. With a total of $802 million being invested into this project, the city plans to make the most out of their money. The new bridge won’t be up and running until 2021 and until then will the old bridge be demolished.
Who Will it Affect
As the city prepared for a five years’ worth of construction in 2016, many people worried about how this would affect their daily life. A project of this size put the city through some concern as they didn’t know what to expect. The city came up with the idea of public meetings and even put together a website called HarborBridgeProject.com where they list current updates about the bridges status. Similarly, they also have monthly news so that Corpus Christi community members can sign up for updates through email and check their social media pages on Facebook and Twitter. The city usually alerts the closings of certain roads and warns about traffic jams occurring during busy construction days. The city hopes that by hosting press releases, the publics tension will ease and help them adjust to the changes happening around the area.
Partnership
The City of Corpus Christi along with the partnership of The Federal Highway Administration, Port of CC, and the TxDOT have all agreed to the reconstruction of the new bridge. After years of planning, researching, and coming up with the financial means for the project, it was finally approved in 2017. The owner, TxDOT, hired both Flatiron and Dragados construction companies for the project. The construction companies teamed up to allow for a much more elaborate and unique bridge design. “The project brings jobs to the area with the construction of the Dragados and Martin Marietta facility in Robstown where the pre-fabricated concrete forms will be poured, the construction crews working on the bridge and connecting road projects, and demolition crews working to dismantle the old bridge.” The four party agreement hope that in the end, the bridge lives up to its expectation.
Economic Impact
With a broader and more spacious bridge, this will allow for many more ships to pass through without the fear of not being able to get through. This will also benefit commercial companies as they will save money on the number of ships they send as they can now fit a bigger ship through the port. “. This will allow larger ships into the Port of Corpus Christi, which is expected to have a positive economic impact on the city and allow for the largest of ocean-going vessels that are too big to pass under the present bridge’s 138 feet of navigational clearance. The lower clearance limits how much Corpus Christi can compete with other Gulf Coast deep water ports in attracting business.” More ships will be able to pass through increasing demand for many more supplies.
Conclusion
In my opinion, the construction of a new bridge will not only benefit the city’s looks, it will also improve it economically. The new bridge will bring much more commerce and attract many more people. With the Texas State museum right around the corner and the American Bank Center, the bridge will allow for much more tourism. This will bring money to the city and hopefully bring back what the city invested in the construction. The city will prosper and grow allowing for a better future in the Corpus Christi area. However, I am sad to see the old bridge go as I have grown around the city since birth. Being born in corpus and living just 20 minutes away, the image of the bridge has been with me for years. I will always cherish the moments spent with my family at the Hooks Baseball Field and the bridge lighting up with color. The nights spent around downtown and walking on the bridge with my friends will also be missed. In the end, the creation of the new bridge will hopefully replace all past memories with new beginnings to the city and its community members.
