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[MaxConcrete]

A public meeting was held last week for the planned new Corpus Christi harbor bridge. The web site and EIS documents are suggesting that it could be under construction starting in 2015 and done by 2020. But due to the high price tag, I'm inclined to be skeptical of that aggressive schedule.

http://ccharborbridgeproject.com/

The recommended alignment is the Red alignment which will take the freeway on a new 2.76-mile alignment.



The Red option has an impressive vertical clearance of 216 feet, which will place it among the highest vertical clearance bridges in the United States. The main span of 1515 feet is also within 76 feet of the longest cable-stayed span in the U.S. (although not impressive by international standards). Estimated cost is $637 million for the six-lane bridge with full inner and outer shoulders.

[MaxConcrete]

This may be moving forward sooner than I thought. TxDOT just posted a solicitation for an engineering management firm for the period June 2014 to August 2019.
http://www.dot.state.tx.us/insdtdot/orgchart/cmd/cserve/profserv/notice/36-4sdp5048.pdf

Description of Services to be Provided:
The Strategic Projects Division (SPD) is seeking one (1) firm to fulfill the role of General Engineering Consultant (GEC) for the management and auditing of all activities performed under a Design-Build for SH 181 (Harbor Bridge) from North of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel to South of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel located in Nueces County, Texas.

Contract Information:
Contract execution is expected by June, 2014
Contract duration is expected through August 2019.
The proposed contract payment type is cost plus fixed fee / specified rate /unit cost

[Grzrd]

In an April 30, 2015 Minute Order, the Texas Transportation Commission ("TTC") awarded the design-build contract for the Harbor Bridge to Flatiron/Dragados, JV.  Also, an April 30, 2015 presentation by TxDOT to the TTC includes this visualization of the new bridge (page 26/31 of pdf):



This TV video reports that the new bridge will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in the U.S.

[Chris]

https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/local-news/corpus-christi/005-2015.html

TxDOT quotes a main span length of 1,655 ft (504 m), which would indeed be the longest span cable-stayed bridge in the United States.

They also call it 'third longest in the world', but that's an error. There are at least three dozen longer cable-stayed bridges in the world, with the longest having over twice the span of the new Harbor Bridge.

[Grzrd]

an April 30, 2015 presentation by TxDOT to the TTC

An interesting option for the design-build team is the possible creation of a new southern terminus for I-37, in which the current section of I-37 from SH 286 to Mesquite Street would be converted to a low-speed arterial street (p. 2/31 of above-linked pdf):



I'm guessing that the change would not be large enough to require new exit numbers, mileage markers, etc.

[longhorn]

Surprise they do not make the US 181 a I-337 or something. Or make that an extension of I-37

[Chris]

The groundbreaking for the new bridge is planned for August 8.

http://www.caller.com/news/building-our-future/bridge/harbor-bridge-open-house-to-show-possible-bridge-modifications-35bf0f52-cf64-0fd8-e053-0100007f812b-384048031.html

Aug. 8 is the anticipated groundbreaking for the construction project, port officials said earlier this week.

[longhorn]

So what happens to the old one? Torn down? Stays?

[Bobby5280]

The old one will be demolished and the segment of freeway leading to it will be turned into a surface boulevard.

[Alex]

Also IH 37 may be shortened to end at the new interchange with the new Harbor Bridge.

A proposal under consideration for the Harbor Bridge design would alter the landscape by drawing Interstate 37 up to the level of South Staples Street, creating an at-grade intersection with a traffic signal and crosswalk, transportation officials have said. It's a move that, if ultimately implemented, would represent a radical departure from the interstate's profile.

[Plutonic Panda]

Looks like this project will be delayed:

The Texas DOT (TxDOT) recently confirmed that work on the $803 million replacement of the Harbor Bridge in Corpus Christi has been suspended.

The suspension comes amid reports that the bridge's designer, FIGG Bridge Group, had been removed from the project, according to KRIS-TV.

The reports of FIGG's removal from the project come on the heels of the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) determination that the engineering firm made significant design errors that led to the fatal collapse of the Florida International University pedestrian bridge in Sweetwater, Florida.

- http://www.roadsbridges.com/texas-dot-suspends-design-work-harbor-bridge-project-corpus-christi

[MaxConcrete]

I'm thinking there will be a full design review, which will take time. If design changes are needed, the delay will be even longer. This may become like the heavily-delayed SH 146 bridge in Baytown in the 1980s and 1990s.

I went to the construction site in July 2018, and progress seemed to be proceeding slowly, with the approach just underway on the north end and nothing to see on the south end.

[MaxConcrete]

On Friday, FIGG has been removed from involvement with the main span.

https://www.kiiitv.com/article/news/local/corpus-christi-city-council-hear-update-on-the-new-harbor-bridge-project/503-f5c5358c-2e73-4be6-adce-7f407447820c

On Friday, TxDOT ordered that bridge designers FIGG Bridge Engineers be replaced for safety reasons.

There is no timeline at the moment for the completion of the $930 million Harbor Bridge project.

The project is already at least two years behind schedule.

The big take away from Tuesday's update is that work continues on the Harbor Bridge project despite the action taken against FIGG.

"That represents 1/8 of the project, if you look at the dollars, the man hours, and lineal foot, we have a lot of work to do besides the main span of the bridge," Deputy Project Manager John Palmer said.

FIGG has only been removed from future work on the main spans of the project, which is the part over the water.

[Bobby5280]

In related news on January 11 the Harris County Toll Road Authority halted construction of the main pylons for the $962 million Sam Houston Tollway Ship Channel Bridge. This is another FIGG-designed bridge. FIGG must submit an acceptable re-design, which will be reviewed and approved by an independent engineering firm before work will be allowed to continue. FIGG is also involved in the Veterans Memorial Bridge project in Port Arthur.

Reps from FIGG claim faulty construction, not engineering, led to the March 2018 collapse of the pedestrian bridge at Florida International University in Sweetwater, FL.

[Thegeet]

Sorry for bumping, but I thought I’d revive this post considering how the project is back in progress.
They’ve recently posted a few photos on Facebook about the construction process. https://m.facebook.com/HarborBridgeProject/

On a side note, the lights on the current bridge will be taken down.

Once again, I’m sorry for bumping an old post.

[wdcrft63]

Sorry for bumping, but I thought I’d revive this post considering how the project is back in progress.
They’ve recently posted a few photos on Facebook about the construction process. https://m.facebook.com/HarborBridgeProject/

On a side note, the lights on the current bridge will be taken down.

Once again, I’m sorry for bumping an old post.

No apology needed. This is one of only a tiny handful of really large bridge projects going on in the country.

[CoreySamson]

Sorry for bumping, but I thought I’d revive this post considering how the project is back in progress.
They’ve recently posted a few photos on Facebook about the construction process. https://m.facebook.com/HarborBridgeProject/

Wow didn't realize this project was so far along. Looks like quite a bit of work has been done on the approaches. I'm kicking around the idea of a solo day trip to Corpus sometime this summer, so this would be a highlight if that came to fruition.

[Thegeet]

Sorry for bumping, but I thought I’d revive this post considering how the project is back in progress.
They’ve recently posted a few photos on Facebook about the construction process. https://m.facebook.com/HarborBridgeProject/

Wow didn't realize this project was so far along. Looks like quite a bit of work has been done on the approaches. I'm kicking around the idea of a solo day trip to Corpus sometime this summer, so this would be a highlight if that came to fruition.

This is a project that was in the talks since about 2013 or so. There was a delay due to negation of firm, and now the project is resuming the process.


Also, sorry for OT: If you do go to CC and happen to drive on I-37 SB and happen to approach exit 17, would you, if possible, be willing to take a photo or video of the new BGS on the gantry just before the exit? I heard that an I-69E sign was installed there.

[Plutonic Panda]

Update on this project from Construction Equipment Guide:

https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/harbor-bridge-project-crews-have-productive-summer/53719

[jgb191]

So glad they're getting rid of that horrible and dangerous 'S' curve just next to north end of the bridge....makes logical sense to straighten it out.

[CoreySamson]

The northern approach of this bridge looks insane on this new GSV:

https://www.google.com/maps/@27.830402,-97.386514,3a,30y,209.8h,91.45t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWFdysf-6IdWkg50zr5IsUQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Possibly one of the most intimidating bridges I've ever seen. This will look amazing once it's done.

[MaxConcrete]

I visited the construction site this past weekend. The work in progress is very impressive. The height and scale of the bridge are more impressive than the photos suggest. The towers are just above the deck, and no cables are in place yet.

http://dallasfreeways.com/dfwfreeways/AARoads/20220704-corpus-harbor-bridge.jpg


http://dallasfreeways.com/dfwfreeways/AARoads/20220702-03_059.jpg


http://dallasfreeways.com/dfwfreeways/AARoads/20220702-03_029.jpg


http://dallasfreeways.com/dfwfreeways/AARoads/20220702-harbor-bridge-a.jpg

[formulanone]

Not much to add here - two photos from June of the construction from a distance, heading south on US 181:





Older span for reference:

[roadman65]

It would be great to ask AASHTO to extend US 181 further on the Crosstown Expressway, but don’t think that will happen.

[jgb191]

It would be great to ask AASHTO to extend US 181 further on the Crosstown Expressway, but don’t think that will happen.

I would have liked that too; the Crosstown Expwy has been completed to a full freeway all the way down to FM-43 almost to Chapman Ranch (several miles south of the TX-358 interchange).  Also wondering why TX-358 wasn't designated as a 3-digit auxiliary interstate (perhaps I-137) when the freeway was completed in the late 1980's all the way to (North) Padre Island.  Something else that would have made a lot of sense (at least to me), was extending the US-183 designation from Refugio down to Gregory and join up with US-181/TX-35.