Rainbow Bridge (Texas) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Port Arthur-Orange Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Westbound approach to Rainbow Bridge
Port Arthur-Orange Bridge Location in Texas Show map of Texas Port Arthur-Orange Bridge Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	SH 73 / SH 87 at the Jefferson and Orange county line
Area	4.8 acres (1.9 ha)
Built	1936 (1936)
Built by	Uninon Bridge & Construction, Fort Pitt Bridge Works, et al.
Architectural style	Cantilever through truss
MPS	Historic Bridges of Texas MPS
NRHP reference No.	96001127
Added to NRHP	October 10, 1996

Rainbow Bridge at Sunset

Westbound approach to Rainbow Bridge in Orange County, Texas

Looking at Rainbow Bridge on its northwest side in Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas

Driving eastbound on the Veterans Memorial Bridge in Jefferson County, Texas

The Rainbow Bridge is a very tall bridge that crosses the Neches River in Southeast Texas. It is located just a little bit upstream from Sabine Lake. This bridge helps State Highway 87 and State Highway 73 connect two cities. It links Port Arthur in Jefferson County on one side of the river. On the other side, it connects to Bridge City in Orange County.

Building the Rainbow Bridge

Work on the Rainbow Bridge started in 1936. The Texas State Highway Department led the project. A city called Beaumont was worried about big ships being able to pass under the bridge. Because of this, the Rainbow Bridge was built very high.

The main part of the bridge is 680-foot (210 m) long. It also has a height of 177 ft (54 m) from the water. This height was planned so that the tallest ship in the US Navy at the time, the USS Patoka, could pass underneath. Even though the Patoka never actually sailed under it, the bridge's height was very useful. It allowed the building of special offshore drilling rigs at a nearby shipyard. This shipyard built 72 rigs, making it a major builder of these structures in the United States.

The bridge was finished on September 8, 1938. The small town nearby, which was called Prairie View, changed its name to "Bridge City" because of the new bridge. The bridge was first named the Port Arthur-Orange Bridge. In 1957, it got its current name, the Rainbow Bridge. In 1996, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historical places in the country.

Another Bridge: The Veterans Memorial Bridge

In 1988, construction began on a new bridge called the Veterans Memorial Bridge. This bridge is a cable-stayed bridge, which means its deck is supported by strong cables coming from tall towers. It was built right next to the Rainbow Bridge. The Veterans Memorial Bridge was officially opened on September 8, 1990. It is 143 feet (44 m) tall, which is a bit shorter than the Rainbow Bridge.

After the Veterans Memorial Bridge was finished, the Rainbow Bridge was closed for repairs. When it opened again in 1997, the Rainbow Bridge became a one-way bridge. It now only carries traffic going west. The Veterans Memorial Bridge handles all the traffic going east.