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Houston: barge strikes I-10 bridge across San Jacinto River

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Chris:
A barge or series of barges have struck the bridge of I-10 over the San Jacinto River east of Houston. I-10 was subsequently closed in both directions.

Houston Chronicle: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/I-10-bridge-TxDOT-san-jacinto-14454765.php

Drone footage:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLqzU0l93Ms
The piers of the westbound bridge are heavily damaged. There are 4 piers, 2 are destroyed, 1 has cracks and appears to have been dislodged and only 1 doesn't have visible damage above the water line. In addition, the inside of the bridge has additional steel supports, which are also damaged.

Screen shots:

Brian556:
Second time in recent history at this location. At Webber Falls, OK, there was the incident where the bridge was destroyed, then the more recent incident where the barges were stopped by the dam.

Looking at Google Maps, you can see a ton of barges near the bridge. It makes no sense whatsoever that these piers are not fully protected.

Then there is the issue of I-10 and other highways flooding yet again just east of here. Makes you wonder if they will have to rebuild and elevate I-10 in the vicinity of Winnie.

Does anybody know just how long of a stretch was actually flooded?

Bobby5280:
A whole bunch of I-10 has been flooded between Houston and the Louisiana state line. As of late Friday night much of I-10 between Beaumont and Houston is closed: from Exit 812 in Turtle Bayou to Exit 848 on the South side of Beaumont. That doesn't factor in the San Jacinto River Bridge segment, which is a little farther West. Some parts of I-10 in Beaumont were closed earlier Friday but are now all open. A few streets within Beaumont still have issues.

A little farther North TX-105 has had serious issues. As of this writing (past Midnight very early Saturday) a good chunk of TX-105 just West of Beaumont remains closed. Another section between Moss Hill and Cleveland was closed earlier, but open now.

TX-73 between Winnie (jct I-10) and Port Arthur is still closed at the time of this writing.

US-90 between Houston and Beaumont has remained open for the most part (some sporadic closures near Nome, TX). That kind of begs the question if TX DOT should really consider upgrading US-90 to an Interstate quality facility. It would build on my fictional route idea of a Texas version of I-12 going from I-10 in Beaumont thru the North Side of Houston, thru Austin and back to I-10 in West Texas. Aside from that, US-90 could function as bypass of I-10 when that Interstate gets flooded (like it is currently). I was watching the traffic situation via Google Maps' traffic layer earlier today. US-90 was quite jammed with traffic. For many East-West travelers it was the only way in/out of Houston with I-10 and TX-105 out of commission.

DJStephens:
Guessing the galvanized collars and supports are some kind of a retro fit?   Piers and Bents appear to be original sixties era construction.   Billions can be found for spurs, loops and toll roads elsewhere, but an original section of heavily traveled transcontinental Interstate is not upgraded??  Or replaced, which it probably should be now.   

Brian556:

--- Quote from: Bobby5280 on September 21, 2019, 02:32:50 AM ---A whole bunch of I-10 has been flooded between Houston and the Louisiana state line. As of late Friday night much of I-10 between Beaumont and Houston is closed: from Exit 812 in Turtle Bayou to Exit 848 on the South side of Beaumont. That doesn't factor in the San Jacinto River Bridge segment, which is a little farther West. Some parts of I-10 in Beaumont were closed earlier Friday but are now all open. A few streets within Beaumont still have issues.

A little farther North TX-105 has had serious issues. As of this writing (past Midnight very early Saturday) a good chunk of TX-105 just West of Beaumont remains closed. Another section between Moss Hill and Cleveland was closed earlier, but open now.

TX-73 between Winnie (jct I-10) and Port Arthur is still closed at the time of this writing.

US-90 between Houston and Beaumont has remained open for the most part (some sporadic closures near Nome, TX). That kind of begs the question if TX DOT should really consider upgrading US-90 to an Interstate quality facility. It would build on my fictional route idea of a Texas version of I-12 going from I-10 in Beaumont thru the North Side of Houston, thru Austin and back to I-10 in West Texas. Aside from that, US-90 could function as bypass of I-10 when that Interstate gets flooded (like it is currently). I was watching the traffic situation via Google Maps' traffic layer earlier today. US-90 was quite jammed with traffic. For many East-West travelers it was the only way in/out of Houston with I-10 and TX-105 out of commission.

--- End quote ---

Think of it this way. US 90 is the older highway. It was built farther inland, at a higher elevation, and does not have the flooding issues that the much newer I-10 does. It was likely routed the way it is for this very reason. Those who designed it were smarter. It baffles me as to why so many newer things in general as not as good as the old. How does the knowledge and lessons of the past get lost/forgotten?

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