Beaumont Highway reopens to traffic

CROSBY – Local commuters are relieved now that the Beaumont Highway, known also as old US 90, again provides a relief route to Houston and back, and is now reopened.

Local traffic and industrial trucking puts about 12,000 to 13,000 vehicles on the roadway daily between FM 2100 and Beltway 8.

TxDOT closed the road for repairs in early May on an emergency basis. It was feared that possible collapse of the roadway might occur. The closure was at Sheldon Road to drivers travelling east and originally at the San Jacinto River Bridge for those westbound, later moving nearer to C.E. King and then to Beltway 8.

Causes for the action were many. Normal wear and tear from erosion under the bridge was one factor. Varied floods last year including Hurricane Harvey compromised the integrity of the roadway.

Hurricane Harvey added insult to injury with an eroding pounding and a thorough soaking. Parts of the highway was under water from the hurricane until Sept. 2, 2017.

Projections were that it would take until August to open the roadway but construction crews finished ahead of schedule on incentives and a relative dry spell.