$1B construction project to replace Houston Ship Channel Bridge starts (Dallas: authority, design)

[Double L]

$1B construction project to replace Houston Ship Channel Bridge starts

The Harris County Toll Road Authority has begun a $962 million project to replace the bridge across the ship channel on the Sam Houston Tollway from Texas State Highway 225 to Interstate 10.
Author: Jen Para
Published: 1:45 PM CDT June 2, 2018
Updated: 1:47 PM CDT June 2, 2018

The Harris County Toll Road Authority has begun a $962 million project to replace the bridge across the ship channel on the Sam Houston Tollway from Texas State Highway 225 to Interstate 10 to handle growing traffic, a spokesperson with HCTRA confirmed and added that notice to proceed was issued on March 19. Currently, the bridge carries about 55,000 cars per day, but that number is expected to grow to almost 158,000 vehicles per day by 2035, according to a Roads & Bridges article about the project co-authored by the HCTRA.

When complete in 2024, Houston Ship Channel Bridge will have two bridges with four lanes of traffic each plus shoulders, per the Roads & Bridges article and Houston Public Media. The current single bridge has only two lanes of traffic in each direction with no shoulder.

https://www.khou.com/article/news/lo.../285-560879951

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by Double L

https://www.khou.com/article/news/lo.../285-560879951

Six years ! Wow , but it is going to be a cool looking bridge...

[madrone2k]

Well, it's not my favorite suspension-bridge design, but it's still nice-looking. Also ... at least we know where some of the toll revenue is being spent. I'm surprised that I haven't seen an annual accounting of that total amount and how it is used. Must be out there, but I suppose one must look for it because I haven't seen it in The Chronicle.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by madrone2k

Well, it's not my favorite suspension-bridge design, but it's still nice-looking. Also ... at least we know where some of the toll revenue is being spent. I'm surprised that I haven't seen an annual accounting of that total amount and how it is used. Must be out there, but I suppose one must look for it because I haven't seen it in The Chronicle.

They widened the NW part of Beltway 8 first, then the SW. Now they are working on SE and will start on the bridge and east side. They widened Hardy Toll Road beyond 1960 and are working on completing it to downtown. They are building a ramp at Beltway 8 and the Hardy Toll Road. They are working on the 249 tollway beyond Tomball to the county line.

[Jimmy1953]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

Six years ! Wow , but it is going to be a cool looking bridge...

I agree with you Jack. Very interesting looking.

[KerrTown]

If the authorities had waited a few more years, it would have been feasible to build the current bridge as a suspension bridge in the first place. The county officials are always looking for excuses to keep the toll roads from becoming free.

Hopefully the architects can design the bridge distinctly enough to avoid confusion with the Fred Hartman Bridge. I personally like Calatrava's bridge in Dallas.

[madrone2k]

It's always interesting how people's tastes can diverge. The bridge in Dallas is the only one of Calatrava's I've seen that I don't like. :-)

[cBach]

Originally Posted by madrone2k

Well, it's not my favorite suspension-bridge design, but it's still nice-looking. Also ... at least we know where some of the toll revenue is being spent. I'm surprised that I haven't seen an annual accounting of that total amount and how it is used. Must be out there, but I suppose one must look for it because I haven't seen it in The Chronicle.

That's not a suspension bridge. That's a cable stayed bridge.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by cBach

That's not a suspension bridge. That's a cable stayed bridge.

Maybe it should be a suspension bridge instead to differentiate it from the Fred Hartman Bridge? It might be time for Texas to have its first suspension road bridge.

[Mr. Clutch]

Good looking bridge, they've needed to do this for a while. The current bridge is pretty claustrophobic and was clearly done on the cheap. This is a huge upgrade.