Corpus Christi: Harbor Bridge project lights up with approval

​CORPUS CHRISTI – The Federal Highway Administration has
signed a Record of Decision that gives final approval for the Harbor Bridge replacement
project to proceed.

This will be the third bridge across the Corpus Christi Ship
Channel since the port opened in 1926.

The current bridge, opened for traffic in 1959, was built
for about $22 million. Its 138-foot vertical clearance is too low to
accommodate some larger modern ships, its descent angles and exits pose
adventurous challenges to 18-wheelers and its primary construction material —
metal — was a foreseeable mistake in a salt-air environment. Its structural
integrity has become a concern in recent years.

The new bridge is a much more ambitious investment,
described in preconstruction rounded-up numbers as a billion-dollar project.

The new bridge, with a 205-foot vertical clearance, will be
a bigger structure with a correspondingly larger footprint.

In addition to allowing larger ships to pass, it
also will accommodate more vehicular traffic more safely and will allow safe passage
of human powered traffic on foot or by bicycle.