Barge collided Pelican Island Bridge in Texas

Photo credit: City of Galveston, Texas-Government.

Update: A Unified Command has been established in Galveston, Texas to coordinate response and disseminate information for the Pelican Island Bridge allision. US coast guard reported in the evening yesterday that the barge allided with the Pelican Island Causeway around 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Due to the allision, one of the cargo tanks was compromised causing vacuum gas oil to spill into the water, the amount is still being determined, but the source has been contained. Boom has been deployed and additional oil spill assets are responding to the incident. A Coast Guard Air Station Houston overflight as well as drones are being deployed to evaluate the extent of the oil spill.

The bridge is open to car traffic leaving Pelican Island and pedestrian traffic both ways. However, the condition of the bridge could change as the damage is evaluated. Pedestrian traffic entering the island is only open to residents, employees, and students of Texas A&M.

To remind, a barge allided with the Pelican Island Bridge that connects Galveston Island to Pelican Island on Wednesday at approximately 10:00 a.m. local time in Texas. A statement posted on Wednesday on the City of Galveston’s Facebook page and website said there were no reported injuries and that the Pelican Island is inaccessible to car traffic.

Power was temporarily interrupted to Pelican Island, which is home to Texas A&M Galveston. Secondary power has been restored to Pelican Island.

As it was reported on May 15 by the official page in Facebook of the County of Galveston, vehicle traffic across the Pelican Island Bridge has been halted. Vessel traffic in the channel has also been halted.

Structural impact to the Pelican Island Bridge is being assessed by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

Emergency management officials from the City of Galveston, Galveston County, Texas A&M University at Galveston, and the state as well as Galveston fire and police departments, U.S. Coast Guard and Texas Department of Transportation are responding to the incident.

Barge collided Pelican Island Bridge in Texas

According to City of Galveston, Texas – Government Facebook page “the collision has resulted in an oil spill in the bay. The U.S. Coast Guard is responding and will determine the extent of the spill, as well as initiate the containment and cleanup processes.”

Engineers from the Texas Department of Transportation are also enroute to inspect the roadway and determine if there is damage.

The bridge will remain closed until it is deemed safe to use.

The City of Galveston, Texas – Government is providing updates about the incident and the vehicle traffic to its social media Facebook and X (former twitter) page.