PORT ISABEL, Texas — The City of Port Isabel will hold a public remembrance Sept. 15 marking 25 years since the Queen Isabella Causeway collapse, which killed eight people and temporarily severed the roadway connection to South Padre Island.
The ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Port Isabel Event and Cultural Center, 309 E. Railroad Ave. Admission is free.
The program will honor those who died, survivors, their families and the first responders and community members involved in the rescue, recovery and reconstruction. Elected officials and community leaders are scheduled to speak, and a U.S. Coast Guard color guard will present the colors.
A panel will discuss the collapse, emergency response, rebuilding of the causeway and the tragedy’s lasting effects on the Laguna Madre community. The program will also include a Texas Department of Transportation documentary about the collapse and its aftermath.
In the early morning hours of Sept. 15, 2001, a barge struck the causeway, causing sections of the bridge to fall into the Laguna Madre. The closure created major transportation and economic disruptions for Port Isabel, South Padre Island and surrounding communities.
Local, state and federal agencies worked with first responders, volunteers and public officials during the rescue and recovery. Additional details about the anniversary program are expected to be announced as they are finalized.
