Almost time! Rio Hondo bridge set to open next month

By Art Tanney
Special to the NEWS
The only working lift bridge in the state of Texas is set to reopen in April and the city of Rio Hondo is almost ready.  Rio Hondo’s $12.4 million bridge refurbishment began in September of 2016 and was funded entirely by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).  Octavio Saenz of TxDOT said repairs included “[replacing] the bridge deck with an upgrade, [installing] new barrier gates, and [adding] new paint, new mechanical & electrical components…erosion control enhancements at the bridge side slopes, a new bridge railing, and new roadway approaches.”  Remarkably, over 99% of the steel used in the bridge repairs came from the United States.  The contractor sourced the steel from Houston and when possible, local suppliers provided elements like concrete, aggregates, and hotmix.  Discarded metal parts were sent to a facility in Brownsville that recycles scrap metal and some of the removed concrete is being repurposed for erosion control. The improvements to the bridge will facilitate barge and road traffic, enabling the barges to better navigate the route and providing increased safety for travelers both above and below the bridge. City Manager Ben Medina notes, “we will have a bridge that is fully functional, just like it is brand new.”
For the rest of this story, pick up this week’s edition of the San Benito News, in stores Friday!

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2018/03/01/almost-time-rio-hondo-bridge-set-to-open-next-month/

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