Ongoing maintenance work on the two-mile Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge has narrowed the causeway to one lane heading to South Padre Island for several months, causing significant traffic delays for motorists crossing the only road connecting the island and the mainland. To ease congestion for summer beachgoers, TxDOT has agreed to clear all equipment from the causeway and open all lanes for the remaining weekends of the summer.
The equipment will be removed around noon on Fridays and returned the following Monday morning. The process will cause some delay in the project, but it is still expected to be completed in September. The maintenance project, which started in August 2010, consists of removing rust, repairing corroded areas and repainting the metal beams that support the highest point of the bridge. The work is part of a $4 million causeway rehabilitation project.
— SOURCE Texas Department of Transportation
