WorldWide Drilling Resource

! " # ! 42 AUGUST 2018 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Waco Suspension Bridge Renovation Begins with Core Samples Compiled by Caleb Whitaker, Associate Editor, WorldWide Drilling Resource ® In the years leading up to 1870, the Brazos River was both a blessing and curse to the city of Waco, Texas. At the time, there were no bridges spanning the eight hundred miles of river flowing through central Texas. This forced cattle drivers moving up the Chisholm Trail to find shallow fording areas. Waco’s shallow banks provided one of these opportune locations to cross the river. As a result, the Chisholm Trail brought a great deal of trade to the small city. However, the river also posed a serious transportation issue for merchants and travelers. There was a ferry for those wishing to cross, but the river became impassable for days or even weeks during flood season. A better means of crossing the river was necessary for locals and those passing through Waco. In 1866, the Texas State Legislature granted a char- ter for the foundation of a private company, the Waco Bridge Company, and plans were initiated to build a bridge across the Brazos. The shareholders chose the steel cable suspension bridge design because it was inexpensive and easy to transport. Suspension bridges were also ideal for Texas be- cause they were easier to anchor in the Brazos’ sandy soil. In 1870, the bridge was officially completed and opened to traffic. At the time, it was the longest suspension bridge west of the Mississippi River. In 1913, the city refloored the bridge, stuccoed over the red bricks, and replaced its wooden trusses with steel. Over the next century, the bridge underwent several renovations and continued to serve vehicular traffic until 1971. Today, the bridge serves only pedestrian traffic, and it is the centerpiece of Indian Springs Park on the river, standing as a reminder of Waco’s rich history. Since repairs are needed once again, drilling crews collected core samples as part of the design phase of the Waco Suspension Bridge Rehabilitation Project. Construction should start early next year to replace the wooden decking with a waterproof surface, repair deep cracks in the bridge towers, reinforce the anchors, and replace all of the steel cables. Drilling into bedrock for core samples took place from the middle of the bridge and between the anchor houses on each side. Waco Suspension Bridge, courtesy of Baylor University. C&G