New Lake Wright Patman Bridge Grand Opening

The raising of the water levels on Lake Wright Patman has been a contested issue for those around the lake for many years now. While there may be good reasons to raise it, and arguably, good reasons not to, one thing is for sure, as of this Friday, July 12, 2024, there will be one less obstacle to pushing up the water levels, the brand new State Hwy 8 bridge over the Western end of Lake Wright Patman will be open for business, and it's several feet taller than the old bridge.

Texas Department of Transportation officials are excited about the grand opening of the new bridge which has been under construction since 2019.

“One long bridge is replacing the two bridges crossing the Sulphur River between Bowie and Cass counties,” said Texarkana Area Engineer Tommy Bruce.

The current structures are 26 feet wide, while the new bridge replacing the old bridges is 44 feet wide with two 12-foot travel lanes and 10-foot shoulders on each side for emergencies and breakdowns.

TX-8 Bridge over Lake Wright Patman 2 - Google Maps

The contractor on the $37.7 million project is Longview Bridge and Road of Longview, Texas.

Texas Highway 8 Bridge over Lake Wright Patman - Google Maps

The photo above was taken one year ago in July of 2023.

The ribbon cutting will take place this Friday at 9 AM. Shortly after that, the new bridge will be opened for traffic.

Bridge Location - Google Maps - Canva

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