Environmental Documentation/Schematic
Development Phase Now Underway
With the Feasibility Study completed, TxDOT is now working on two other key activities--preparing the environmental documentation that is required before the new bridge can be built and developing the preliminary engineering designs for a new bridge structure and its associated approaches and tie-ins to existing roadways.

Although the Feasibility Study identified a preferred corridor, TxDOT will consider the other alternatives, including a no-build alternative, as it prepares the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project. Over the next year, TxDOT and its consultants will be gathering and evaluating information on possible environmental impacts associated with building a bridge in various locations within the identified corridors. This process began during the Feasibility Study, but will be carried out in more detail this time around.

The first step in the EIS process was to hold "scoping" meetings with other government agencies interested in the Harbor Bridge and with the public. These meetings, held in June 2005, were designed to solicit ideas on what TxDOT should consider as it conducts its environmental investigations. For instance, are there specific landmarks or structures that should be avoided? Are there neighborhood considerations that might have been overlooked? Are there other corridors that should be considered? This kind of information will help TxDOT decide what to look at in more detail while preparing the EIS.

With the information from the scoping meetings, TxDOT's consultants have begun looking at possible alignments and designs for the new bridge within the identified corridors. An early review from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the agency that must eventually approve the plan for Harbor Bridge, indicated that TxDOT should focus most of its attention on the two corridors to the west of the current bridge alignment. The other two corridors are not considered to be reasonable and feasible for meeting the purpose and need for a replacement for the Harbor Bridge.

TxDOT has held three sets of Citizens' Advisory Committee meetings so far in this phase of the project. These meetings were held in September 2005, March 2006, and October 2007. Meeting notes and presentations describing what took place at this meetings are available on this website.

In addition, TxDOT held a public meeting in April 2006 . At that time, the alignment alternatives for a possible new bridge structure were described as well as the status of the EIS process. The public had an opportunity to comment on all of the information presented.

A Preliminary Design Guidelines Workshop originally scheduled for May 2006 has been postponed until more information gathered during the EIS and schematic development process will be available.

During this phase of the project, TxDOT will be considering the use of some type of tolling on the new replacement bridge.

In early 2007, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and TxDOT decided to extend the geographical limits of the Harbor Bridge project to more fully address issues associated with how a new bridge and its approaches would connect with existing roadways. This means that the project now has expanded project and study limits. Any project right-of-way acquisition and construction would take place within the project limits only; the study limits are areas that may by affected by the project in terms of traffic, but will not undergo any new construction associated with the Harbor Bridge project.

As shown on the map, the new project limits are as follows: the northern limit is the US 181 and Beach Avenue interchange located north of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel but south of the Nueces Bay Causeway; the southern limit is the SH 286 and SH 358 (South Padre Island Drive) interchange; the eastern limit is the Interstate Highway (IH) 37/US 181 intersection with Shoreline Boulevard; and the western limit is the IH 37 and Nueces Bay Boulevard interchange. The new project limits total approximately 7.5 miles in length from north to south along US 181 and SH 286, and 2.1 miles in length from east to west along IH 37.

The new study limits are as follows: the northern limit is the US 181 and SH 35 interchange just south of Gregory; the southern limit is the SH 286 (Crosstown Expressway) and SH 358 (South Padre Island Drive) interchange; the eastern limit is Shoreline Boulevard; and the western limit is the IH 37 and SH 358 (North Padre Island Drive) interchange.

Because of the expansion of the project area, TxDOT held another public scoping meeting on April 24 and 25, 2007 to enable the local community to learn more about the expanded project and study limits, and to provide comments about the Harbor Bridge project.