A project nearly 10 years in the making to help marine life in South Padre Island is now moving forward.

The original Queen Isabella causeway opened in 1952 as a low-lying bridge that connected South Padre Island and Port Isabel. Its remains lie south of the current Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway.

The causeway has been closed to pedestrians and cars for the last 50 years. 

“The bridge is so dangerous you can't use it as a fishing pier,” Charles Nelson said. He owns property near the old causeway.

On Wednesday, the Texas General Land Office met with a contractor to set a timeline for a project to dismantle the bridge and turn it into an artificial reef north of the jetties. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: State project to dismantle original Queen Isabella causeway will benefit artificial reef project

Nelson bought the land in 2020 and has been waiting for the project to move forward ever since. He said he plans to put in a marina and bring people onto his land safely to watch SpaceX launches. 

Nelson said crews plan to start as early as the first week of July 2025.

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