Work continued last week on the maintenance project underway at the Trinity River Bridge and the Old & Lost Bridge, with crews making significant progress during the week of Jan. 5.
According to project updates provided by the Texas Department of Transportation, crews prepared the bridge surface by blasting and grinding, removing old striping, and setting forms for a new polymer overlay. For the remainder of the week, work shifted to nighttime hours on the eastbound side of the bridge to minimize traffic impacts.
During the week, Ragle Construction also began smoothing and grooving the inside two lanes of the Trinity River Bridge. This work is part of the preparation for final striping, which is expected to take place within the next 10 days.
TxDOT officials noted that the type of work involved in this project does not allow for continuous 24-hour operations or the addition of extra crews.
The repairs are being completed in phases, with each phase required to be finished before the next can begin. Some portions of the work are taking place underneath the bridges, meaning crews may not always be visible to motorists traveling through the area.
No repair work was scheduled underneath the bridges during this reporting period, as all work completed last week took place on the bridge deck itself.
TxDOT has worked closely with the contractor to expedite the project, which is now anticipated to be completed approximately two months earlier than originally planned. The projected timeline remains subject to change depending on weather conditions.