The Federal Highway Administration gave final approval for building the new Harbor Bridge after a settlement was reached with neighborhoods in the pathway of the new route across the Corpus Christi Channel. Courtesy illustration
The U.S. 181 Harbor Bridge project finally received a Record of Decision from the Federal Highway Administration, the last major hurdle to be cleared before construction could begin. Meanwhile, a permit to build a headquarters for the project was approved by the city development office. With an estimated cost of $175,000, the 8,928-square-foot building will reside at 500 N. Shoreline Blvd., Suite 501.
“The office will be used to manage the design, construction and public involvement of the U.S. 181 Harbor Bridge Replacement Project,” said Rickey Dailey, public information officer for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in Corpus Christi. “It will house both TxDOT project representatives and developer personnel for the duration of the project. In addition to the joint project office, the developer will have one or more field offices supporting construction activities.”
Actual construction on the $1 billion bridge, which will begin with the main span foundations within the Port of Corpus Christi, is expected to get underway in late summer or early fall, Dailey said. Work will be done by Flatiron Constructors Inc. and Dragados USA Inc., which were chosen last year after a bidding process.
The first work that will be visible to the public will involve surveyors and drilling for geotechnical information to determine the physical properties of the site’s soil, rock and subsurface conditions.
“Once construction begins, people will begin to see work take place adjacent to the harbor for the main structure support columns,” Dailey said. “Then, they should expect to see dirt and structure work along the entire footprint of the new bridge and at the [Texas] 286/[Interstate] 37 interchange.”
Traffic over the current bridge will remain in place and fully operational until the new bridge is open, he continued. Some temporary lane closures are to be expected, but the existing Harbor Bridge will remain open to traffic until the end of the project.
“The developer will be working closely with Nueces County and the city of Corpus Christi to coordinate any traffic effects on local streets during construction,” Dailey said.
Original estimates were for construction to begin in 2015; however, residents in two Northside neighborhoods filed a civil rights complaint citing a 100-year history of industrial discrimination. Once an agreement was settled, the Record of Decision was signed.
In the agreement, the Port of Corpus Christi will pay out as much as $20 million for voluntary land acquisition and relocation expenses for residents in the Hillcrest and Washington-Coles neighborhoods. Additional funds, if needed, will be paid by the Texas Department of Transportation.
