Does El Paso Have The Longest Bridge In Texas?

The longest bridge in Texas is here in El Paso ... technically.

Texas has several bridges and the longest one, (officially), is in Houston. Spoiler: It's not all that long. In fact, it's actually pretty short; not quite 3 miles long.

El Paso, as far as I'm concerned anyway, really has the longest bridge. Ours doesn't traverse a body of water or a canyon or anything but it is the longest ... "aerial highway" shall we say ... in Texas.

The longest bridge in Texas is the Fred Hartman bridge which stretches about 2.5 miles across the Houston Ship Channel. It was built, (hung, really), in the mid - 90's because the tunnel that peeps had been using to cross the channel was getting old.

What Happened To The Washburn Tunnel?

The Washburn Tunnel was once the longest ... and, I would assume, deepest ... tunnel in Texas. About 70 feet under the Ship Channel which the Hartman bridge now flies about 440 feet above.

This thing is no joke, that's for sure. Is it really numero uno though, length-wise? I don't think so. Technically. Depends on how you define "bridge" I guess; do bridges have to traverse a specific thing? Or does "bridge" mean any elevated highway?

El Paso Has The Longest Bridge In Texas

If "bridge" means any "elevated highway", El Chuco has "El Fred" WAYYYY beat. The Loop 375 toll road, (which never actually became a legit toll road), flies way more than 2.5 miles.

READ MORE: Texas' Shortest Highway Is In El Paso

The elevated portion of the Borderland Expressway carries traffic over Paisano, railroad tracks, buildings and, (kinda), the Rio for 7 to 9 miles. (Depends on where you start measuring I guess.) Even at the low end of 7 miles, it's got Fred beat BIG time.

El Chuco Wins Again.