Sidney Sherman Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Sidney Sherman Bridge is a strutted girder bridge
in Houston, Texas
. It spans the Houston Ship Channel
(Buffalo Bayou
) and carries the East Loop segment of Interstate 610
on the east side of the city. It is more popularly known as the 610 Bridge or The Ship Channel Bridge.
dating as far back as 1962. Originally planned with a 400 foot (120 m) mainspan, it was rejected by the Army Corps of Engineers for fear that the narrow mainspan was a hazard to ships on the Ship Channel. So a 600 foot (180 m) mainspan was in the plans instead, and the Army Corps approved of the design. So construction on the bridge started in 1969, and was opened to traffic on March 2, 1973 (along with the East Loop of I-610). Just a year before, the National Society of Professional Engineers named the new bridge one of the top ten outstanding engineering achievements in the nation. In 1974, it was renamed the Sidney Sherman Bridge after Sidney Sherman
who led the Texas Revolution
and took part in making the Houston Ship Channel good for navigation.
claimed the struts were an even more dangerous hazard to ships that must veer from the middle of the waterway. By some accounts, port officials protested, but TxDot did not listen to their pleas. The bridge cost TxDot $19 million in its current configuration; a higher clearance would have cost more, and the agency went on to investigate that ships did not need a 120 foot (37 m) clearance. This decision proved to be a mistake. Several ships have collided with the bridge over a period of 27 years, but despite this the bridge only suffered minor damage and was still intact. That all changed in December 2000 when a cargo crane struck the bridge, knocking a hole in the concrete deck and damaging a steel beam. The damage took six weeks to repair, forcing several lanes to be closed in the process. However, the worst accident happened in May 2001 when a freighter's cargo boom caused severe damage to a girder and put another gaping hole in the span. Several lanes of the bridge were closed for two months while repairs were completed.
Girder bridge
A girder bridge, in general, is a bridge built of girders placed on bridge abutments and foundation piers. In turn, a bridge deck is built on top of the girders in order to carry traffic. There are several different subtypes of girder bridges:...
in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. It spans the Houston Ship Channel
Houston Ship Channel
The Houston Ship Channel, located in Houston, Texas, is part of the Port of Houston—one of the United States's busiest seaports. The channel is the conduit for ocean-going vessels between the Houston-area shipyards and the Gulf of Mexico.-Overview:...
(Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou is a main waterway flowing through Houston, in Harris County, Texas, USA. It begins in Katy, Fort Bend County, Texas and flows approximately east to the Houston Ship Channel and then into Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico...
) and carries the East Loop segment of Interstate 610
Interstate 610 (Texas)
Interstate 610 is a freeway that forms a forty-two-mile loop around the downtown sector of city of Houston, Texas. Interstate 610, colloquially known as "The Loop", "Loop 610", "The 610 Loop", or just "610", traditionally marks the border between the inner city of Houston and its surrounding areas...
on the east side of the city. It is more popularly known as the 610 Bridge or The Ship Channel Bridge.
History
Construction on the bridge was on the planning boards by the Texas Department of TransportationTexas Department of Transportation
The Texas Department of Transportation is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of Texas. Its stated mission is to "work cooperatively to provide safe, effective and efficient movement of people and goods" throughout the state...
dating as far back as 1962. Originally planned with a 400 foot (120 m) mainspan, it was rejected by the Army Corps of Engineers for fear that the narrow mainspan was a hazard to ships on the Ship Channel. So a 600 foot (180 m) mainspan was in the plans instead, and the Army Corps approved of the design. So construction on the bridge started in 1969, and was opened to traffic on March 2, 1973 (along with the East Loop of I-610). Just a year before, the National Society of Professional Engineers named the new bridge one of the top ten outstanding engineering achievements in the nation. In 1974, it was renamed the Sidney Sherman Bridge after Sidney Sherman
Sidney Sherman
Sidney Sherman was a Texan general and a key leader in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution and afterwards.-Early life:...
who led the Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
and took part in making the Houston Ship Channel good for navigation.
Controversy
The bridge clearance is 135 feet (41.1 m), which some officials have deemed too low for ships to navigate. By the time the V-struts supporting the mainspan were put in place, the Port of HoustonPort of Houston
The Port of Houston is a port in Houston—the fourth-largest city in the United States. The Port is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities located a few hours' sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico...
claimed the struts were an even more dangerous hazard to ships that must veer from the middle of the waterway. By some accounts, port officials protested, but TxDot did not listen to their pleas. The bridge cost TxDot $19 million in its current configuration; a higher clearance would have cost more, and the agency went on to investigate that ships did not need a 120 foot (37 m) clearance. This decision proved to be a mistake. Several ships have collided with the bridge over a period of 27 years, but despite this the bridge only suffered minor damage and was still intact. That all changed in December 2000 when a cargo crane struck the bridge, knocking a hole in the concrete deck and damaging a steel beam. The damage took six weeks to repair, forcing several lanes to be closed in the process. However, the worst accident happened in May 2001 when a freighter's cargo boom caused severe damage to a girder and put another gaping hole in the span. Several lanes of the bridge were closed for two months while repairs were completed.