The Texas Department of Transportation is planning to construct the first plastic bridge in the state's history. The bridge is expected to last about 50 years, the same as a traditional bridge, and will reportedly require less maintenance and fewer repairs.

The $617,000 bridge will span a drainage canal north of Gregory on Farm-to-Market Road 3284. Unlike traditional bridges built with concrete and steel, the new bridge will have beams made with fiber reinforced plastic, a combination of fiberglass and plastic. The road surface will be made of concrete.

The beams will be made of the same substance as automobiles and boats, but thicker. "In many ways, fiberglass is as strong as concrete, if not stronger," Ronnie Medlock, bridge technical services director for TxDOT's bridge division, told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. "But the challenge of fiberglass is its stiffness. You have to design the bridge so the support won't bend."

The bridge will be designed to look like traditional bridges; the only difference being the beams underneath.