Businesses near the new Harbor Bridge are preparing for significant traffic changes as the new structure opens and the old one faces demolition. From North Beach to downtown, these changes will impact how neighbors access their favorite local spots.
The Texas State Aquarium is optimistic about the future despite some access changes. Jesse Gilbert, the President and CEO of the Texas State Aquarium, notes there will be fewer exits for northbound travelers.
"The one thing that'll be different is the exit coming from Corpus Christi. If you're going northbound, you only have one exit to North Beach instead of the two that we had with the original Harbor Bridge," Gilbert said.
The aquarium has been preparing for these traffic shifts for several years and expects visitor numbers to increase once construction barriers are removed.
"When you take that barrier away, with all the construction and demolition, so let's say, a year from now, I actually think numbers are only gonna go up," Gilbert said.
While aquarium staff say they have not experienced revenue declines during construction, other businesses haven't been as fortunate. Gilbert Cortinas, the owner of G&L Detail on Leopard Street, reports his business suffered significantly.
"Because of the shut down of the intersection of Leopard and the Crosstown Expressway, when they shut us down, it affected our business by anywhere from 70 to 80 percent," Cortinas said.
Cortinas explains that construction has impacted his family car detailing business for seven years, sometimes forcing temporary closures.
"Half the time, I had to shut down because of the fact I could not operate because of all the dirt flying around, all the dust. We were eating a lot of dirt every single day for several years. I couldn't keep a car clean," Cortinas said.
Despite these challenges, Cortinas sees a bright future with the new bridge opening.
"My business is gonna be the first one you see coming off the main Harbor Bridge and that's gonna be really, really good for our business here," Cortinas said.
Both G&L Detail and the Texas State Aquarium say they are ready for traffic patterns to stabilize and to adjust to their new normal.
"We're actually watching people stop on our property and look at the new bridge. So, I think it will be iconic. It'll be somewhat of an attraction. We're excited about getting the traffic flow just normalized and stable," Gilbert said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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