Marble Falls Bridge (US 281)

Marble Falls Bridge (US 281)

Marble Falls Bridge carries US Route 281 over the Colorado River in Marble Falls, Texas.

Marble Falls Bridge carries US Route 281 over the Colorado River in Marble Falls, Texas.

The first permanent crossing at the site was constructed in 1891, only to be destroyed in a flood in June 1935. 8 A ferry operated across the river until a cantilever deck truss bridge was built in 1936. It was rehabilitated in 1975.

Planning for a replacement span over the Colorado River began in 2005 by the Texas Department of Transportation. 6 The design, by the FINLEY Engineering Group, featured a twin-bridge, three-span variable depth cast-in-place segmental bridge with a main span of 410 feet and two approach spans of 274 feet. 1 3

Funding for the $30 million project was secured in November 2009, and the ground was broken for the new Marble Falls bridge on October 25, 2010. 4 Construction began a month later 2 with work progressing via a balanced cantilever erection method with the end spans supported on falsework. 7

The first of two bridges was finished in the fall of 2012 and was used for two-way traffic. 7 The circa 1936 cantilever bridge was dismantled, and the second bridge was constructed in its place. The project was finished at the cost of $28.6 million in 2014. 5

Information

  • State: Texas
  • Route:
  • Type: Cantilever Deck Truss
  • Status: Demolished - Replaced
  • Total Length: 881 feet (c. 1936)
  • Main Span Length: 276 feet (c. 1936)
  • Spans:
  • Deck Width: 48 feet (c. 1936)
  • Navigational Clearance:

Sources

  1. “US-281 Bridge over the Colorado River, Marble Falls, Texas.”FINLEY Engineering Group. N.p., 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.Article.
  2. Smith, Miles. “Bridge, road projects begin taking shape.”Highlander [Marble Falls]: 1A-8A. Print.
  3. Simms, Jay, and Archer Western Contractors. “US-281 over the Colorado River, Marble Falls, Texas.” Letter to Finley Engineering Group. 20 May 201. TS.
  4. “New US 281 bridge work to begin.” KXAN. N.p., 25 Oct. 2010. Web. 5 Nov. 2012. Article.
  5. Whelan, Raymond V. “New U.S. 281 bridge in Marble Falls could be finished by 2014.” Daily Tribune [Marble Falls]. N.p., 7 Mar. 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012. Article.
  6. “281 Bridge Funding Approved.” Burnet County. N.p., 5 Nov. 2009. Web. 5 Nov. 2012. Press Release.
  7. Lehman, Jodi. “US 281 bridge project approved.” Horseshoe Bay Beacon [Horseshoe Bay]. N.p., 12 Nov. 2009. Web. 5 Nov. 2012. Article.
  8. “Highway 281 Bridge.” Historic Bridge Foundation. N.p., 2003. Web. 7 Nov. 2012. Article.

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