By Shawn Shawshank
Houston bridges span not only waterways and freeways, they also connect the city's past and present. From the littler bridges built to facilitate commerce and connect communities in the heart of the city, to the provoking structures constructed in the port district, bridges in Houston reflect the unique culture of the city. We have selected the best bridges for you and your family to visit while in Houston.
The Sidney Sherman Bridge
AKA the Loop 610 Ship Channel Bridge, the Sidney Sherman Bridge spans the Houston Ship Channel southeast of downtown. It was named for a colonel in the Republic of Texas Military, Sidney Sherman, a leading advocate for improvements to the Houston Ship Channel. The strutted girder bridge, made of steel and concrete, opened on March 2, 1973. The key span of the bridge is six hundred feet long and ten lanes wide. Its traffic volume as of 2001 averaged one hundred twenty two thousand vehicles each day. Local Houston folks price this bridge for its view of the Houston Ship Channel, especially after dark when the twinkling lights of the commercial section of the town can be seen in the distance.
Sam Houston Tollway Ship Channel Bridge
Formerly called the Jesse H. Jones Memorial Bridge, this bridge crosses the Houston Ship Channel at Beltway 8 to the east of downtown Houston. The cantilevered concrete box girder bridge opened in 1982 with a main span length of seven 150 feet. Though its architecture might appear modest and minimalist compared with other major Houston bridges, the Sam Houston Tollway Ship Channel Bridge is amongst the most highly travelled. Its four traffic lanes saw more than twenty-eight thousand vehicles a day in 2002.
San Jacinto Street Bridge
This open spandrel arch bridge was built in 1914 to span Buffalo Bayou in the heart of downtown Houston. It was rehabilitated in 1995. With a length of three hundred and twenty five feet, the San Jacinto Street Bridge is an element of the one-way, northward bound road; southerly bound traffic must use the Fannin Street Bridge. This is worth a stop by.
Fred Hartman Bridge
The Fred Hartman Bridge connects the communities of LaPorte and Baytown. Outside Houston correct, though still within the Houston urban area, this steel, cable-stayed bridge is 8 traffic lanes wide. It was built in 1995. As of 2008, its median daily traffic surpassed thirty thousand cars a day. The Fred Hartman Bridge is a must-see in Houston.
McKee Street Bridge
Found in Houston's Warehouse District, the design of McKee Street Bridge shows equal proportions history and whimsy. The bridge is on the National Historic Register. Engineer James Gordon McKenzie built the girder bridge in 1932. Made of fortified concrete, the girders continue their curves above the highway, making for a weird but pleasing shape. In an urban reclamation project, an artist named Kirk Farris painted the McKee Street Bridge using bright reds and blues, adding multiple, bulbous light fixtures that boost its fantastic appearance.
The Sidney Sherman Bridge
AKA the Loop 610 Ship Channel Bridge, the Sidney Sherman Bridge spans the Houston Ship Channel southeast of downtown. It was named for a colonel in the Republic of Texas Military, Sidney Sherman, a leading advocate for improvements to the Houston Ship Channel. The strutted girder bridge, made of steel and concrete, opened on March 2, 1973. The key span of the bridge is six hundred feet long and ten lanes wide. Its traffic volume as of 2001 averaged one hundred twenty two thousand vehicles each day. Local Houston folks price this bridge for its view of the Houston Ship Channel, especially after dark when the twinkling lights of the commercial section of the town can be seen in the distance.
Sam Houston Tollway Ship Channel Bridge
Formerly called the Jesse H. Jones Memorial Bridge, this bridge crosses the Houston Ship Channel at Beltway 8 to the east of downtown Houston. The cantilevered concrete box girder bridge opened in 1982 with a main span length of seven 150 feet. Though its architecture might appear modest and minimalist compared with other major Houston bridges, the Sam Houston Tollway Ship Channel Bridge is amongst the most highly travelled. Its four traffic lanes saw more than twenty-eight thousand vehicles a day in 2002.
San Jacinto Street Bridge
This open spandrel arch bridge was built in 1914 to span Buffalo Bayou in the heart of downtown Houston. It was rehabilitated in 1995. With a length of three hundred and twenty five feet, the San Jacinto Street Bridge is an element of the one-way, northward bound road; southerly bound traffic must use the Fannin Street Bridge. This is worth a stop by.
Fred Hartman Bridge
The Fred Hartman Bridge connects the communities of LaPorte and Baytown. Outside Houston correct, though still within the Houston urban area, this steel, cable-stayed bridge is 8 traffic lanes wide. It was built in 1995. As of 2008, its median daily traffic surpassed thirty thousand cars a day. The Fred Hartman Bridge is a must-see in Houston.
McKee Street Bridge
Found in Houston's Warehouse District, the design of McKee Street Bridge shows equal proportions history and whimsy. The bridge is on the National Historic Register. Engineer James Gordon McKenzie built the girder bridge in 1932. Made of fortified concrete, the girders continue their curves above the highway, making for a weird but pleasing shape. In an urban reclamation project, an artist named Kirk Farris painted the McKee Street Bridge using bright reds and blues, adding multiple, bulbous light fixtures that boost its fantastic appearance.
About the Author:
Shawn Shawshank has been interested in Houston landmarks for a few years. He has written op-eds and editorial pieces for many online publications. For more details aboutHouston bridges please visit his site.
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