CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A big part of Interstate 37 (I-37) right in downtown Corpus Christi, Texas, will be totally closed for a whole weekend. This is so workers can safely remove old overhead bridge parts (pieces of the old Harbor Bridge approaches) as part of a major project to replace the bridge.
The full closure starts at 9 p.m. on Friday, February 20, and lasts until 9 p.m. on Sunday, February 22. It affects the highway from Staples Street to North Chaparral Street (both directions of I-37).
Over the weekend, crews will use tools like jackhammers and heavy equipment to demolish the old bridge pieces and load them onto trucks for hauling away. They'll have special devices set up to detect excessive shaking or vibration, so nearby buildings and people stay safe.
To help drivers get around the closed section, officials have planned some detour routes:
- If you're driving southbound on I-37 toward the Bayfront, downtown, or uptown areas: Take the connector to southbound State Highway 286 (also called Crosstown Expressway), exit at Morgan Avenue, turn left onto the northbound SH 286 frontage road (the service road next to the highway), then turn right on Agnes Street.
- If you're on northbound SH 286 heading toward the Bayfront and downtown, use the Agnes/Laredo Street exit.
- If you're leaving the Bayfront area and want to get on northbound I-37, northbound US 181, or southbound SH 286: Turn right on North Chaparral Street, left on East Port Avenue, then right onto the Martin Luther King Drive frontage road to reach northbound I-37. Another option is to make a U-turn at Nueces Bay Boulevard to merge onto I-37 and connect to the US 181 or SH 286 ramps.
There will be big electronic message boards all around the area to show you the way through these detours.
Officials are asking everyone who drives to:
- Plan your trip ahead of time
- Try to use other routes if possible
- Pay attention to all signs, cones, and traffic directions
- Slow down in work zones
The work might change or stop if the weather is bad (like rain or storms), so it's "weather permitting."
This closure is part of the ongoing Harbor Bridge Project to remove the old bridge and make way for safer roads. Expect delays if you're driving in that area that weekend!
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