Route 66 Bridge along I-40 in Wheeler County
Located near Shamrock in Wheeler County, the Route 66 Bridge over the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railroad has five spans and is 126 feet long. Engineer M.L.Grady with the Texas State Highway Department Bridge Division created the design, and contractor E.T. Prater constructed the bridge in 1932.
Historical significance
The bridge is currently listed in the National Register of Historic Places because of its historical and engineering significance. The bridge is along Route 66, which served as the main highway between Chicago, Illinois and Santa Monica, California in the early to mid-twentieth century. It is the last vehicular bridge in Texas directly associated with Route 66. The bridge's concrete enclosed steel-beam design is noteworthy as it reduced the height and weight of the structure compared to other designed considered. The concrete protected the steel beams from steam locomotive blasts. It is also one of the few examples of this bridge type in the state.
Purpose and need
The proposed project includes removing the current bridge from vehicular service and constructing a new crossing. Located about eight miles east of Shamrock, the bridge was originally built to cross over the railroad. The railroad was abandoned in the late 20th century and the steel rails and cross ties have been removed.
The bridge’s current condition is rated as fair or poor. The most recent bridge inspection noted large patches of concrete that have fallen off, exposing the steel reinforcing bar. There are several cracks in the bridge deck. Additionally, the existing rail does not meet current crash standards.
Wheeler County historically experiences extreme winter weather events. During these events, it is common for the roads and bridges to be treated with a mixture of salt and water to prevent freezing from snow and/or ice. Due to this de-icing safety practice, there is a high probability that chloride contamination is the main reason for the bridge’s deterioration.
Get involved
TxDOT Childress district invites anyone who is interested in being a consulting party on this project to reach out to Mark Brown, Historical Studies Project Planner, at rt66_wheeler_county@txdot.gov. As a consulting party you will be provided opportunities to comment on preservation issues involving this project.
The Section 106 process is a federal regulation that allows interested parties to comment on impacts a TxDOT project might have on significant historic sites. That process includes:
- TxDOT will notify parties when it starts a project that might have impacts to historic resources, including the Route 66 Bridge project in Wheeler County
- TxDOT works with consulting parties to determine what is important to them and the surrounding communities
- Consulting parties work with TxDOT to determine if there are sites or structures that tell an important story about the community history
- TxDOT uses all this information to determine how to balance safety with preservation
The district is planning public involvement meetings and invites public participation.