Galveston Causeway
This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2008) |
George and Cynthia Mitchell Memorial Causeway | |
---|---|
Texas State Antiquities Landmark | |
Area | 39 acres (16 ha) |
NRHP reference No. | 76002028[1] |
TSAL No. | 8200001369 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | December 12, 1976 |
Designated TSAL | January 1, 1981 |
Location | |
The George and Cynthia Mitchell Memorial Causeway is a set of causeways in Galveston, Texas, United States. Two of the routes carry the southbound and northbound traffic of Interstate 45, while the original causeway is restricted to rail traffic. It is the main roadway access point to Galveston Island. The second access point is Bolivar Ferry.
The causeway carries traffic over Galveston Bay and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The original causeway was built in 1912 and carried both rail and auto traffic. The auto traffic was transferred to new causeways built to the west in 1939, leaving the original bridge for rail traffic. The original route was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Rebuilding in 2003
2008 hurricane damage
In September 2008, the causeway flooded badly before
Railroad drawbridge replacement
The original drawspan was replaced in 1987 with a new, narrower bascule span that pivoted from the island side of instead of the mainland side as the original did. The new span did not include space for a roadway, and a new service building was built on the old roadway on the island side of the channel. In 2001, the U.S. Coast Guard had declared the old span's narrow passageway to be a hazard to navigation. It was only 105 feet (32 m) wide, whereas the replacement vertical-lift span allowed the channel to be widened to about 300 feet (91 m).
Re-dedication
The causeway was re-dedicated in honor of George Mitchell and his wife Cynthia Woods-Mitchell on Tuesday October 25, 2016, to honor their contributions to the island and City of Galveston.[6]
See also
- List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Texas
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Galveston County, Texas
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- Galveston County Daily News. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
- Galveston County Daily News. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
- ^ "Galveston Causeway Bridge replacement gains federal funding" (Press release). U.S. Representative Gene Green. June 19, 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
- ^ "SMART to buy a (draw)bridge". Santa Rosa Press Democrat. February 14, 2012.
- ^ "George & Cynthia Mitchell Memorial Causeway Dedication".
External links
- City of Galveston Thoroughfare Plan - Transportation access to Galveston planning[permanent dead link]
- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. TX-37, "Galveston Causeway, Spanning Galveston Bay parallel to I-45, Galveston, Galveston County, TX", 6 photos, 4 data pages, 1 photo caption page