Corpus Christi Old Harbor Bridge Span Removed

The Corpus Christi, Texas, community bade farewell to the old Harbor Bridge in the first week of November—and a heavy-duty Canal Barge deck barge played a key role. The old bridge was officially decommissioned and the center span removed, clearing the way for larger vessels to make their way through the port.

The original 1959 bridge was the largest project the Texas Department of Transportation – then named the Texas Highway Department – had attempted at the time. Pre-pressed concrete and neoprene pads set the bridge apart as a technological and engineering advancement.

The Old Harbor Bridge was a through arch bridge that accommodated six lanes of traffic from downtown Corpus Christi to Rincon Point. According to TxDOT, the original bridge met its intended lifespan, serving the Corpus Christi community for more than 60 years before a new bridge was needed.

“For more than 60 years, the 1959 Harbor Bridge has served as an iconic landmark, connecting the people and places surrounding Corpus Christi,” said TxDOT Corpus Christi District Deputy Engineer and Harbor Bridge Project Manager Joseph Briones. “Its role as a key transportation asset has benefited generations of families and contributed significantly to our local economy, becoming an integral part of our community’s identity.”

The old bridge measured nearly 6,000 feet long, 243 feet tall and 73 feet wide and allowed a clearance of 138 feet. The remaining structures of the bridge on the north and south ends are expected to be removed soon.

“While its removal marks the end of an era, we honor the history and memories it represents as we look forward to the new US 181 Harbor Bridge serving the next generation of Texans,” Briones said.

Canal Barge Company supplied the barge used for the decommissioned center span. The span was lowered onto the Prometheus, a 300-foot by 100-foot deck barge typically used for decommissioning oil platforms, large industrial projects and new construction.

“Typically, when we’re decommissioning something with that barge, it’s offshore,” said Blake Heflin, director of deck cargo services for Canal Barge Company. “Bridges don’t come down like this all the time, so we’re definitely excited to be involved with this.”

Built in 2014, the Prometheus can handle a load of up to 6,000 pounds per square foot with a deadweight tonnage of nearly 10,000 long tons. It has a maximum draft of 15.8 feet. Heflin mentioned that it’s the trusses under the deck of the barge that give it its strength.

“The real strength of the barge itself is in the internals,” Heflin said. “This piece of cargo is much bigger than it is heavy. This is one of the heavier deck barges in the U.S. fleet.”

The Prometheus will also be working on projects with liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the future.

“There’s a lot going on with LNG,” Heflin said. “It will go to work in the LNG trade next year moving large LNG modules.”

Removing the center span of the Old Harbor Bridge was originally intended to begin on October 25, but strong winds and rain pushed work back for five days until it was safe for crews to continue, with work resuming on October 30.

Strand jacks and support equipment were used to stabilize the structure, and tugboats positioned the Prometheus beneath the center span of the bridge. The span was cut at the bridge joints and then lowered onto the Prometheus using a four-point mooring system. Strand jacks were used to lower the span into place. Pins were released from lift blocks and winches engaged to raise the strand jack cables. Each time the barge needed to move position, the ship channel had to be shut down.

“Every time we had to come out of position, there was a flurry of activity,” Heflin said.

The process of removing and lowering the span was slow. Lowering the span onto the Prometheus took around 10 hours, while latching and securing took another two. The barge was moored during the lowering process, and unmooring took another hour and a half.

The Prometheus took the span to a Port of Corpus Christi facility 6 miles away. According to Heflin, the span will be dismantled and possibly repurposed.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held in May to celebrate the $1.3 billion New Harbor Bridge. The new bridge was opened to the public at the end of June. It employs a cable-stay design and allows a clearance of more than 200 feet, allowing larger vessels to navigate to and from the Port of Corpus Christi.

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Featured photo caption: The Old Harbor Bridge served the Corpus Christi area for 60 years before demolition began. The New Harbor Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge which opened in June, can be seen in the background. (Photos courtesy of Canal Barge Company)