Harbor Bridge Project: Tropical Storm Beta temporarily delays work on U.S. Highway 181

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Construction of the new Harbor Bridge has been underway in Corpus Christi since August 2016 and is beginning to take shape. Corpus Christi Caller Times

A forecast of heavy rain is going to delay work on a key stretch near the Harbor Bridge construction site.

Traffic on a key section of U.S. Highway 181 was scheduled to be reduced to a single lane to allow for three days of work there as part of the Harbor Bridge Project.

That was supposed to have begun Friday, but things changed as the season’s 22nd tropical storm churned in the Gulf of Mexico and began to take aim at the Corpus Christi area. 

Flatiron/Dragados, the chief contractor on the bridge project, said in a statement the work on that segment now will begin Friday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m. It will wrap up Monday, Sept. 28 at 6 a.m. 

The company said the right mainlane of southbound U.S. 181 to northbound Interstate Highway 37 will be closed next week to allow for the construction of a new Port Avenue exit ramp.

One lane will remain open through this area.

Up to 10 inches of rainfall is expected along the coast as a tropical depression makes its way toward Texas. About 4 to 6 inches of rainfall is expected in areas west of Corpus Christi as early as Sunday.

More: TxDOT to replace engineers on Harbor Bridge Project. Here’s what we know

Message boards will be set up next week to alert motorists of the closures, the company said in a statement. Motorists are urged to be aware of the mainlane closure and to consider using different routes.

September marked the 49th month of construction in the state Department of Transportation’s $930 million project to replace the aging Harbor Bridge.

The wavy-topped Harbor Bridge was considered state-of-the art when it was unveiled in the 1950s. It connects North Beach with Corpus Christi’s Northside.

The Texas Department of Transportation has long maintained the bridge has outlived its design and has become too costly to maintain.

More: Designers picked for Harbor Bridge’s main spans

Groundbreaking on the new span was August 2016.

It will feature a more-modern cable-stayed design and have a taller clearance to allow larger cargo vessels access to other parts of the Port of Corpus Christi.

Need more details?

For information about current and upcoming lane closures related to the Harbor Bridge Project, visit: www.harborbridgeproject.com

Chris Ramirez writes about energy, commerce and all things business. Support local coverage like this by checking out our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe  

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