There will be some delays, but we think there will be less, Goodnight said. Take advantage of steep discounts on this household essential during Prime Day 2023. No support is underneath. Waco Suspension Bridge Celebration - Waco & The Heart of Texas Thomas Balk, assistant director of parks and recreation for the city, spoke next. (LogOut/ Assoah Ndomo | Photographer, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation Thomas Balk detailed the specific renovations made to the bridge and thanked the engineers and contractors for their work. Assoah Ndomo | Photographer, As the cattle drive finished, the horses and cattle fled to a safe area where they were admired by event attendees. The cabling and anchors dating to that era have reached the point where replacement is needed, setting the stage for a $12.4 million dollar rehabilitation effort to include the foundations, towers, decking and railings. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. I love the story of how this bridge came to be, and it was because the community came together and said, We need to figure out a way to get from one side of this river to the other,' Meek said. Although they had the design plans from the bridges reconstruction in 1914,Modjeski requested a survey of the existing structure to see whether settlement, movement, or other factors had changed its geometry versus the original plans. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This stunning bridge was built with cables supplied from John Roebling's firm, which built the Brooklyn Bridge. The Waco Suspension Bridge is a 475-foot structure that crosses the Brazos River in downtown Waco. When the bridge opened in 1870, it provided cattle drives on the Chisholm Trail a valuable alternative to using ferry service or fording the unruly, flood-prone Brazos. Completed in 1869, the Waco Suspension Bridge is now being restored W ACO, Texas ( FOX 44) - The historic Waco Suspension Bridge is about to reopen, plus the 2023 Brazos Nights concert series is about to kick off, and there will be a Texas-sized celebration. TCU Police Chief Steve McGee said the students arrested Wednesday were caught in an undercover operation selling marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and prescription drugs. Each sculpture represents an animal that can be found in Cameron Park Zoo or that is native to the area. The unfortunate side is that the fabrication of those takes some time, but the fact is were not starting from scratch.. But in 2015, we didnt really know what all the bridge needed; we just knew that there had been this long-standing tradition of generational care.. Assoah Ndomo | Photographer, Bystanders were anticipating the bridge reopening Friday night, and visited to get a look at the renovated structure. 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"It's kind of an incredible moment where we're inviting the community back in to have their bridge back," City of Waco's Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation Tom Balk said. In the 1860s, the local residents of what was then a frontier community, put up the initial funding. PO Box 2570 Some of the attendees knew to show up early to grab a good spot, including a group of retirees. At its essence, it remains a celebrated connection that joins our city together, representing the idea that Wacos strength and vitality continue to be driven by the connectivity and unity of its communities. An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon. He said it has been completed with a great amount of care and caution considering its history and significance to the city. The rehabilitation of the bridge was motivated by the findings of the 2017 comprehensive evaluation report by Sparks Engineering, Inc., a San Antonio-based consultant specializing in existing structures. The Brazos Nights concert series returned to Indian Spring Park on Friday, drawing thousands to celebrate the completion of the Waco Suspensio, Saturday marked the official opening of the Waco Suspension Bridge, unveiling the $12.4 million project the city undertook in 2020 to give the. The festivities will kick off on April 21 with a concert featuring Grammy-winning country western band Asleep at the Wheel, along with Mariachi Azteca Waco and Austin blues guitarist Jackie Venson. Without this retaining wall wed see uncontrolled erosion, and that could potentially undermine the brick structure and the towers, Balk said. Assoah Ndomo | Photographer, A pack of cattle were led across the Suspension Bridge by a team of horses and cowboys to commemorate the renovation. With no clouds in the sky, Wacoans and nearby Texans . Were glad to have that back in place for people to be able to walk back and forth Its really just symbolic of how Waco comes together, and this bridge really displays that.. All the excitement will take place at Indian Spring Park, located at 101 N. University Parks Drive. These days, the Waco Suspension Bridge anchors a network of parks in the center of Waco that hosts sporting events, concerts, and weddings. The Waco Suspension Bridge will remain closed until spring after engineers found a crack in a retaining wall under the bridge is more than a superficial flaw. The bridge closed for the work in October 2020. At Gray, our journalists report, write, edit and produce the news content that informs the communities we serve. The schedule for this weekend is as follows: Friday:7 p.m. Mariachi Azteca Waco7:45 p.m. Jackie Venson8:30 p.m. Drone display over the Brazos River9 p.m. Asleep at the Wheel, Saturday:11 a.m. Ribbon cutting ceremony, longhorn cattle drive across the Waco Suspension Bridge and community celebration featuring food and activities. "For years, we've been hoping that East Waco would get a little more connected to this side and I'm hoping in the future theres even more that connect the two," Martha McGaugh, born and raised in Waco, said. Its really the concrete work and deck that will be the longest stretch, Cook said. When it was completed in 1869, the 475 ft long Waco Suspension Bridge was the first major suspension bridge in Texas, according to the Historic American Engineering Record. That should take about three months. For years, the bridge served as a Chisholm Trail crossing, and at the time of its completion,it was the longest single-span suspension bridge west of the Mississippi. The towering Chisholm Trail sculptures, crafted by Robert Summers, include an oversized, bronze trail boss driving longhorns on their way to crossing the Brazos. This is a new era. The sidewalk under the bridge has remained closed during the renovation, and likely will until the bridge reopens next year. There are wooden walkways on either side of the bridge, which allows people to look a the view safely. When you think of a suspension bridge, it is suspended in the air. Delays are expected at the following roads and intersections: The intersection of University Parks Drive and Cameron Park Drive, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from Washington Avenue to Lake Shore Drive, and the Washington Avenue bridge over the Brazos will all close temporarily for the event, and delays are expected along the bike route in the China Spring area. In all, removing the bridges sway cables, hangers, and suspension cables took about two months. Join the discussion with civil engineers across the world. The bridge, which crossed the Brazos River and became a crucial link in the Chisholm Trail, connected Texas cattle ranchers to trains in Kansas and helped establish the fortunes of Waco, a city established in 1849. North River Crossing (F.M. Officials briefly reopened the bridge to accommodate the finish line for the Ironman triathlons held in Waco on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16, though it closed immediately after the races. "It really brings our city together," Director of Waco Parks and Recreation Jonathan Cook said, "It has since 1870. The bridge will be closing back down for some final touches following this event, Cook said. The prior year the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. We had to be able to really understand what we had to work with to make sure new components would fit correctly, says Stuffle. City of Waco discusses detailed changes of the Suspension Bridge ahead Landscaping, establishment of new grass, irrigation and lighting enhancements will complete the final phase of the renovation.