The Yale Street Bridge has been around since 1931 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Houston, Texas. The bridge, among the lowest-scoring in the area in terms of modern standards, has been a source of discussion for years as commercial development to the south has increased. TxDOT nearly closed the bridge in 2012, when trucks weighing more than 3,000 pounds per axle were restricted from using it because of structural concerns. The bridge was reinforced with fiber reinforcing in 2013 and the load rating was increased to 10,000 pounds per axle. This new rating still kept many trucks delivering goods to the stores and restaurants along Yale and Heights Blvd. from using the bridge. After 85 years of serving the public, the bridge was demolished in 2015. The new bridge will have two 14-foot wide outside lanes to accommodate turning for trucks, two 11-foot wide inside lanes and 5-foot wide sidewalks in each direction. The bricks from the original bridge deck will be reused on the sidewalks.
Stiver Engineering provides construction engineering through structural analysis and works with contractors to develop demolition plans for bridges and elevated structures.
