Bridge goes BOOM

March 6, 2025

By Heather Deaton and Ryan LaFontaine

ATLANTA, Texas – It takes a long time to build a bridge. But just a few seconds to take one down. 

The old bridge over Wright Patman Lake on State Highway 8 near Maud was demolished last week with the push of a button. When the dust settled, only the new span—completed last year—was left standing.

Construction crews replaced two bridges crossing over the Sulfur River between Bowie and Cass County with one long bridge. The new bridge will increase water flow and improve safety for drivers.

“The old bridges, which were built in the late 1950s, have been replaced by one long structure,” said Rebecca Wells, chief engineer in TxDOT’s Atlanta District. “We're so proud of this new bridge that is longer, taller and wider than the former bridges."

The new bridge is 44 feet wide, including two 12-foot travel lanes with 10-foot shoulders on each side. The old bridges were 26 feet wide.

A video of the demolition captures the dramatic moment the structure came down. The footage was taken from pre-staged locations and was unstaffed for safety reasons. The first is a view from the eastern side of the bridge, and the second is from the west.