How will Fort Worth Loop 820 bridge be demolished this weekend? Here’s what we know
The southbound Loop 820 bridge that crosses over Texas 121 will be demolished this weekend by taking the bridge apart in pieces and sawing “a great deal of the existing structure to minimize debris,” according to a Texas Department of Transportation spokesperson.
Heavy equipment will be used for parts of the demolition, to deal with large elements of the bridge, but a lot of it will be dismantled piece by piece, TxDOT said.
The demolition of the bridge, part of a plan to improve traffic flow that has been in the works for four years, will lead to detours and expected delays, according to TxDOT.
The City of Fort Worth said in a news release that Loop 820 southbound traffic crossing over State Highway 121 will shift to a new bridge this weekend. Southbound traffic on 820 will be detoured during the traffic switch as work is finalized. The detour will take drivers south on Texas 121, exiting at Minnis Drive, then returning on northbound 121 and exiting to the 820 southbound direct connector ramp.
The old 820 bridge will be demolished between 9 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday. During this time, State Highway 121 northbound and southbound traffic also will be detoured as follows:
- Northbound traffic will exit at Handley-Ederville Road and continue on the 121 northbound frontage road to re-enter from the State Highway 10 northbound entrance ramp.
- Southbound traffic will be detoured on 820 southbound to exit at Trinity Boulevard, turning west to Handley-Ederville Road, then north back to 121 southbound frontage road and the entrance near Big Fossil Creek.
People on Facebook have had mixed reactions to the project, some saying it’s about time the construction, part of a $3.8 billion congestion relief plan, moves forward. Others are saying that it doesn’t matter what the state does — traffic in that area will remain painful.
Peter Spottswood said on Facebook that TxDOT shouldn’t demolish the old bridge, just add a new bridge and use both of them.
Jennifer Tyler, another Facebook commenter, expressed excitement at the project.
“Finally!” Tyler wrote. “The traffic back-up on this bridge is the bane of my existence.”
Shelia Collignon is more skeptical of the project’s ability to create improvements to traffic flow.
“All the work being done is not going to help,” Collignon wrote on Facebook.
TxDOT spokesperson Val Lopez said the closure has been scheduled for the weekend to minimize impacts for motorists.
There will be detours, but “we are strongly encouraging motorists to use alternate routes during the closure,” Lopez told the Star-Telegram in an email.
Work is progressing on the State Highway 10 bridge crossing 820, preparing for future southbound main lanes and the frontage road approaching the Highway 10 underpass, the release said. Construction continues on new retaining walls along 820 northbound main lanes between Randol Mill Road and the Trinity River, and on the 820 north to Texas 121 south direct connector.
Overall, improvements in the 820 East Loop project include reconstructing the existing roadway and access ramps, building additional lanes in each direction, replacing the Trinity River bridge and creating new direct connectors to and from State Highway 121.
Staff Writer Jessika Harkay contributed to this report.
This story was originally published July 15, 2022 at 3:44 PM.