Suspension Bridge to reopen temporarily for Ironman runners

Sightseers take a photo on the Waco Suspension Bridge on Thursday. The bridge has temporarily reopened for the Ironman triathlons this weekend but will close again for another three months of a renovation project that started two years ago.

Sightseers take a photo on the Waco Suspension Bridge on Thursday. The bridge has temporarily reopened for the Ironman triathlon this weekend but will close again for another three months of a renovation project that started two years ago.

Ironman assistant swim coordinator Darrell Catanio inflates directional buoys for the 2.4-mile swimming portion of the triathlon.

Waco did not quite win the race to finish extensive renovations to the Waco Suspension Bridge before this year's Ironman triathlons, but runners will still cross the finish line at the bridge for the first time since it closed in 2020.

The bridge will close to the public again as soon as the long-distance triathlons wrap up Sunday. Waco Parks and Recreation Director Jonathan Cook said workers built temporary ramps and other covers for the portions of the bridge that still do not have new concrete decking, and poured crushed granite to make still-unfinished entryways work for the triathlons. A full Ironman, covering a total of 140.6 miles, will start at 7:25 a.m. Saturday, followed by a half-distance Ironman 70.3 starting at 9:50 a.m. Sunday.

"The bridge will be closing back down for some final touches following this event," Cook said.

The Waco Suspension Bridge closed in October 2020 and has remained closed, but will open temporarily for this weekend's Ironman triathlon on Oct. 15-16, 2022. So far, the contractor has overseen the replacement of the bridge's suspension cables, anchors and most of its decking, which was originally wooden.

The bridge still lacks wire-mesh railings and new lighting. Cook said the contractor will resume work after the run, and he expects the remaining landscaping, repairs and lighting will take between 10 and 12 weeks.

"It's really the concrete work and deck that will be the longest stretch," Cook said.

The bridge closed for the work in October 2020. At the time, officials said the project was expected to take 18 to 24 months. So far, contractor Gibson & Associates has overseen the replacement of the bridge's suspension cables, anchors and most of its decking, which was originally wooden.

Once the project is complete, the trademark statues of cattle in "Branding the Brazos" on the Indian Spring Park side of the bridge will be returned to their previous spots, positioned as if they are in the process of being herded onto the bridge. When the bridge opened in 1870, it provided cattle drives on the Chisholm Trail a valuable alternative to using ferry service or fording the unruly, flood-prone Brazos.

Sightseers take a stroll on the Waco Suspension Bridge on Thursday. The bridge has temporarily reopened for the Ironman triathlon this weekend but will close again for another three months of a renovation project that started two years ago.

No cattle crossings are expected this weekend, but about 2,500 Ironman competitors are signed up, according to a city of Waco press release. Another 2,500 people will come to town to cheer them on or volunteer.

In previous years the uneven, aged wooden decking on the bridge was more than a slight trip hazard for athletes at the end of a 26.2-mile run, which follows a 112-mile bike ride and a 2.4-mile swim, said Nancy Goodnight, local race director for the Waco Ironman.

"We had a lot of faceplants," Goodnight said. "But we should have less this year."

She said reopening the bridge for the event also lets her reincorporate the riverwalk into the runners’ route. She said last year the route included more roadways, which is less than ideal.

Ironman assistant swim coordinator Darrell Catanio inflates directional buoys for the swimming portion of the triathlons.

Each year, workers get better at spacing out participants and preventing a bottleneck of runners, swimmers or cyclists, she said.

"It's also better for traffic control," Goodnight said of this year's course.

The intersection of University Parks Drive and Cameron Park Drive, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from Washington Avenue to Lake Shore Drive, and the Washington Avenue bridge over the Brazos will all close temporarily for the event. MLK is tentatively scheduled to reopen from 3 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday, between the full Ironman on Saturday and the half Ironman on Sunday.

Roads in the China Spring area will not close entirely for the race, but will have delays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday. According to the city press release, peak delays are expected between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Saturday and between 10 a.m. to noon Sunday.

"There will be some delays, but we think there will be less," Goodnight said.

Delays are expected at the following roads and intersections:

The intersection of University Parks Drive and Cameron Park Drive, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from Washington Avenue to Lake Shore Drive, and the Washington Avenue bridge over the Brazos will all close temporarily for the event, and delays are expected along the bike route in the China Spring area.

A map shows the route of the Ironman's running segment.

A map shows the swimming leg of the Ironman.

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Rhiannon Saegert is a graduate of the University of North Texas who formerly worked at The Ardmoreite in Ardmore, Okla., the Denton Record-Chronicle and Eater magazine.

One great thing about Waco: A spirit of volunteerism runs through our city.