The 17 Street Causeway Bridge in Fort Lauderdale, coated with products developed by Florida-based TEX•COTE®, withstood the intense winds and rain brought on by Hurricane Irma despite the damage the massive hurricane caused to scores of other structures statewide.
Hurricane wind speeds reached 85 mph and sustained for 8-10 hours in Fort Lauderdale where the 17th Street Causeway Bridge is located, but the hurricane did not damage the TEX•COTE® coatings on the bridge, said Jay A. Haines, President and CEO of Textured Coatings of America, Inc., a 56-year-old company also called TEX•COTE®.
TEX•COTE® is a leading manufacturer of highway and bridge coatings and offers a complete line of decorative and protective high-build architectural coatings for commercial, industrial, transportation and residential uses. TEX•COTE® products have been used on many prestigious buildings, landmarks, control towers, bridges and homes worldwide.
Among them is the scenic 17th Street Causeway Bridge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The drawbridge was originally built in March of 2001 using TEX•COTE® XL-70 W BRIDGE COTE® and it opened in 2002. The bridge was recoated in 2014 using TEX•COTE® 300 BRIDGE COTE®.
This bridge is significant because Fort Lauderdale is often called the “Venice of America” due to its many canals, some of which converge to the 17th Street Bridge. The bridge stands 65 feet above the Intracoastal Waterway and has a protected walkway, offering walkers amazing views of the water, city and yachts.
Since the founding of TEX•COTE® in 1961, the company’s ongoing research and development efforts have led to many industry advancements and the development of “green” products with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs). TEX•COTE’s ® patented Coolwall® IR System has been proven to reduce energy usage and its manufacturing process incorporates post-consumer recycled content. Visit www.texcote.com.