Local News

WWII-Era Bridge Over Trinity River Scheduled for Facelift

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Across the Trinity River in Liberty County sits a historic railroad bridge that connects the east and west banks of the river. The Dayton News reports that repairs to the bridge will take place beginning Tuesday.

Even though Union Pacific has kept up with repairs, the bridge (dating back nearly 100 years) is in need of some restoration to its support structure. The $2.6 million project consists of a 12-hour renovation of the structure that will include replacing the trestles (the supportive frames).

The actual renovation project which is scheduled to last just one day will require trains to either be held or diverted to another route. Preparing for the project has taken about three months due to delays from bad weather and in the manufacturing of replacement pieces.

Union Pacific spokesperson Jeff DeGraff says, “That bridge is a very important connection for us as it links the border of Texas from Beaumont to Houston and travels further east into New Orleans. The line splits off in New Orleans and gets tied into other rail lines as it gets into Houston.”

Even though trains will see a tiny delay, Liberty County residents will not be impacted.