Rio Hondo in Cameron County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Arroyo Colorado Lift Bridge
Following the construction of the San Benito Canal, land around Rio Hondo began to open for agricultural development. A narrow low water wooden bridge suspended on piles was stretched across the Arroyo in the 1920s but was frequently subjected to flooding and high tidal flows. To better serve travelers from the west, a one-vehicle ferry was put into operation until 1927 when a one-lane steel span bridge was erected. When the plan to dredge the Arroyo Colorado to create a port for Harlingen materialized, a temporary swing bridge was built. In May 1953, the new vertical-lift bridge spanning over 380 feet in length and 25 feet in width opened. Designed by the New York engineering firm Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Hall & MacDonald, the bridge operated with two electric pulley motors on each side of the span with a lift and descent of ten to fifteen minutes. The bridge is not only a practical economic lifeline and a prime gateway to area attractions but is the only lift bridge built between 1945 and 1960 in Texas that is still in operation.
Erected 2012 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 17748.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists:
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Location. 26° 14.133′ N, 97° 35.025′ W. Marker is in Rio Hondo, Texas, in Cameron County. It is at the intersection of Colorado Avenue (County Highway 106) and North Arroyo Boulevard, on the right when traveling west on Colorado Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 121 N Arroyo Blvd, Rio Hondo TX 78583, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South Texas. It is also in the American Borderlands, in the South, and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Stagecoach to the Rio Grande, C.S.A. (approx. 1.2 miles away); Iraqi D-20 152mm Howitzer (approx. 5.2 miles away); Harlingen Army Airfield and Harlingen Air Force Base (approx. 5.3
Photographed by Dave W, March 13, 2026
3. Arroyo Colorado Lift Bridge Marker
Marker with subject of marker in the background.
Photographed by Dave W, March 13, 2026
4. Arroyo Colorado Lift Bridge Marker
Looking east.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 18, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 15, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 3,554 times since then and 182 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 15, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3, 4. submitted on March 16, 2026, by Dave W of Co, Colorado.
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