After a decade in limbo, Corpus Christi’s busiest boating spot is finally getting the upgrade locals begged for

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A long-delayed project to improve parking and boating access beneath the JFK Bridge is finally moving forward after years of sitting idle.

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Dr. Bryan Gulley, a member of the Island Strategic Action Committee, said the area is one of the busiest boating spots in Texas, and the lack of proper parking has been a major headache for locals and visitors alike.

“This is probably the, if not the busiest, the second busiest boating area in the entire state of Texas,” Gulley said. “These boat ramps are full in the summertime, so people end up parking on the edge of the street and blocking traffic.”

Gulley said somewhere along the way, the project stalled.

“Kind of dropped the ball on this project, and we’re trying to pick that ball up and run with it,” he said.

City Manager Peter Zanoni said the hold-up wasn’t due to lack of interest but rather a legal concern over how city funds could be used.

“We had to put a short hold on the project to make sure legally and really from a taxpayer’s standpoint that it makes sense to use local taxpayer money to improve a state asset,” Zanoni said.

Mayor Paulette Guajardo said those concerns have now been addressed and that the project is officially back on track. Design on the lot is nearly done.

“That should be completed in March 2026,” Guajardo said. “Construction for that particular project will start in the summer of 2026.”

District 4 Councilwoman Kaylynn Paxson said the city also plans to improve nearby roads leading to the bridge, which she hopes will make access safer and easier for boaters.

“We want to do some improvements to the paving, lighting, striping, all of that, because to just fix the parking lot, that’s going to alleviate a lot of the problems,” Paxson said. “But we are also trying to address how we get there and all the area leading up to the parking lot.”

Paxson added that residents have waited a long time to see these upgrades. Once the work is complete, the area beneath the JFK Bridge should finally be ready to handle the heavy traffic from boaters across Texas looking to enjoy a day on the water.