The FM 787 bridge at the Trinity River has officially reopened following months of emergency repairs, restoring a vital connection for residents in the northern part of Liberty County.
The bridge was closed in August 2024 after flooding caused significant structural damage, prompting swift action by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to ensure public safety.
Ragle Construction, Inc. of North Richland Hills, Texas, was awarded the $11.8 million contract to carry out the emergency repairs. Crews began work on Sept. 9, 2024, starting with the removal of damaged spans and approaches on the west end of the bridge.
The repairs, which were expected to take four to six months, stayed largely on schedule despite challenges posed by weather and material availability. The bridge’s reopening marks a major milestone for the region, reconnecting communities and restoring a heavily used route for local traffic, school buses, and emergency services.
In August, District Engineer Martin Gonzalez, P.E., and other TxDOT representatives met with concerned residents to discuss the project. At the time, TxDOT assured the community that, weather permitting, the repairs would be made as quickly and safely as possible.
“Safety is TxDOT’s top priority, and we appreciate the community’s patience during this process,” the agency stated.
In addition to reopening the bridge, TxDOT has now begun developing a longer-term solution: a project to realign FM 787 at a new location along the Trinity River. The current bridge, originally constructed in 1976, is a prestressed reinforced concrete beam span bridge with six spans ranging from 51 to 130 feet. However, the bridge sits at a significant bend in the river where the Trinity is actively migrating, posing ongoing challenges for infrastructure stability.
By realigning the highway, TxDOT hopes to create a more permanent and resilient crossing that avoids the unpredictable erosion and movement of the river at the current location.
Further details on the realignment project, including public input meetings and timelines, are expected to be announced in the future.
Bridge closed on May 6
The bridge collapsed in May and they didn’t communicate with the public until August!
They didn’t tell anybody it was gonna collapse! I don’t believe for one minute that storm had anything to do with this. It’s been nearly a year now and they owe a lot of people reparations, hell there’s one old lady that won’t let her daughter drive over that bridge because if it were to collapse again they wouldn’t even know how to get there to save her because they’ve forgotten there was even a bridge there. I hear now the bridge is about 40’ longer and now that’s gonna add wear and tear on my vehicle and will cost more in gas! These people will do anything to cost us more money!
Thanks guys for getting the bridge done god bless you guys
Thank you all for Finishing this project and timeless hours of hard work
Dingus, you here by WIN the “Liberty County #1 RETARD” award. They added height to the bridge which in turn makes the bridge longer to reach each side at the new elevation. The overall roadway length is the same which equals the same wear & tear as before. Lay-off the Meth retard…
And to which award will we vote you for? Obviously not the common sense one.
I am thinking that Dingus was being overly sarcastic in his first comment…
And let’s hope Jack wasn’t the engineer behind the repair🙂
This bridge terrifies me. Since the first time I remember them closing it to the one lane several years ago to fix it, then the collapse, I don’t even bother with it anymore.