Congressman Vicente Gonzalez Commemorates 25 Years Since the Queen Isabella Causeway Collapse

Contact: Alexis Torres

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), submitted a Congressional Record recognizing the solemn 25th anniversary of the Queen Isabella Causeway Collapse. On September 15, 2001, days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a ship struck a supporting pillar of the Queen Isabella Causeway. This bridge connects Port Isabel on the South Texas mainland to South Padre Island. A Congressional Record is a daily transcript of all proceedings of the United States Congress, including any remarks provided by a member in either chamber to commemorate notable events in the communities they serve. 

“Twenty-five years later and our community still mourns this painful chapter in our history that took the lives of eight South Texans. With this Congressional Recognition, we are preserving their memory and enshrining the strength and resiliency of a community that came together during an unimaginable tragedy into the record books of the United States Congress,” said Congressman Gonzalez. 

South Texas and the entire community of Port Isabel were shaken to its core when a tugboat tragically crashed into a support column of the Queen Isabella Causeway, causing two 85-foot sections of the causeway to fall into the water and leaving a 160-foot gap in the roadway. Eight of the 11 individuals on the Causeway at the time of the collapse did not survive, and the damage created significant challenges for residents, workers, and visitors who utilized the bridge for daily travel.  

Rebuilt in November 2001, the renamed Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway honors the victims, their families, survivors, and emergency responders while serving as a reminder of the profound impact this tragedy continues to have on South Texas communities. 

The full text of the Congressional Record can be found here.