Island bridge repairs to halt on weekends to ease beach traffic

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX The Texas Department of Transportation said Monday that maintenance on the span, which links South Padre Island to the rest of Texas, has meant lane closures and traffic delays for beachgoers.

TxDOT says all equipment will now be removed from the causeway around noon Fridays and returned on Monday mornings.

The agency says the $4 million maintenance project, which started more than a year ago, is still expected to be completed by September. Workers are removing rust, fixing corroded areas and repainting metal beams that support the highest point of the bridge.