Fred Hartman Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Fred Hartman Bridge or Baytown Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge
in the U.S. state
of Texas
, spanning the Houston Ship Channel
. The bridge carries 2.6 miles (4 km) of State Highway 146, between the cities of Baytown, Texas
and La Porte, Texas
(east of Houston
).
The bridge, named for Fred Hartman (1908–1991), the editor and publisher of the Baytown Sun
from 1950 to 1974, is the longest cable-stayed bridge in Texas, and one of only three such bridges in the state, the others being the Veterans Memorial Bridge
in Orange County, Texas and the Bluff Dale Suspension Bridge
in Erath County Texas. It was the seventy-sixth largest bridge in the world from 1995 to 2003, and is now the seventy-seventh largest bridge. The construction cost of the bridge was $117.5 million.
The bridge replaced the Baytown Tunnel
(of depth clearance 40 feet (12.2 m)). The tunnel had to be removed when the Houston Ship Channel
was deepened to 45 feet (13.7 m), with a minimum 530 feet (161.5 m) bottom width, to accommodate larger ships. The last section of the Baytown Tunnel was removed from the Houston Ship Channel on September 14, 1999, with removal of the tunnel being the responsibility of the Texas Department of Transportation
.
The bridge has had trouble in the past, when water streaming down the cables in light rain changed the wind profile of the cables, causing unexpected vibrations.
Cable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, spanning 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:...
. The bridge carries 2.6 miles (4 km) of State Highway 146, between the cities of Baytown, Texas
Baytown, Texas
Baytown is a city within Harris County and partially in Chambers County in the Gulf Coast region of the U.S. state of Texas. Located within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, it lies along both State Highway 146 and Interstate 10. As of 2010, Baytown had an population of 71,802...
and La Porte, Texas
La Porte, Texas
La Porte is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Bay Area of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 31,880...
(east of Houston
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 ...
).
The bridge, named for Fred Hartman (1908–1991), the editor and publisher of the Baytown Sun
Baytown Sun
The Baytown Sun, is a newspaper published in Baytown, Texas, United States. It was first published 1919 as the Goose Creek Gasser. The paper is owned by Southern Newspapers Inc., a news-media company based in Houston, Texas.-History:...
from 1950 to 1974, is the longest cable-stayed bridge in Texas, and one of only three such bridges in the state, the others being the Veterans Memorial Bridge
Rainbow Bridge (Texas)
The Rainbow Bridge is a cantilever bridge crossing the Neches River in Southeast Texas just upstream from Sabine Lake. It allows State Highway 87 and State Highway 73 to connect Port Arthur in Jefferson County on the southwest bank of the river with Bridge City in Orange County on the northeast...
in Orange County, Texas and the Bluff Dale Suspension Bridge
Bluff Dale Suspension Bridge
The Bluff Dale Suspension Bridge is a historic bridge located near Bluff Dale, Texas, United States. The bridge was built in 1891 and the spans 225 feet across the Paluxy River...
in Erath County Texas. It was the seventy-sixth largest bridge in the world from 1995 to 2003, and is now the seventy-seventh largest bridge. The construction cost of the bridge was $117.5 million.
Baytown Tunnel
The Baytown Tunnel or Baytown – La Porte Tunnel was a two-lane underwater motor-vehicle tunnel connecting Baytown and La Porte, two suburbs of Houston, Texas. Completed in 1953, it traveled northeast-southwest underneath the Houston Ship Channel and had a length of...
(of depth clearance 40 feet (12.2 m)). The tunnel had to be removed when 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:...
was deepened to 45 feet (13.7 m), with a minimum 530 feet (161.5 m) bottom width, to accommodate larger ships. The last section of the Baytown Tunnel was removed from the Houston Ship Channel on September 14, 1999, with removal of the tunnel being the responsibility of the Texas Department of Transportation
Texas 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...
.
The bridge has had trouble in the past, when water streaming down the cables in light rain changed the wind profile of the cables, causing unexpected vibrations.