Senior Road Tower
Senior Road Tower is a 600 metres (2,000 ft) high guyed radio mast for FM and TV broadcasting in unincorporated northeastern Fort Bend County near Missouri City, Texas, USA, at 29°34′35″N 95°30′37″W / 29.57639°N 95.51028°W. Senior Road Tower was built in 1983 as a replacement for a tower which collapsed in 1982. Radio stations KKBQ 92.9, KTBZ-FM 94.5, KKHH 95.7, KHMX 96.5, KBXX 97.9, KODA 99.1, KILT-FM 100.3, KLOL 101.1 and KRBE 104.1 all use the Senior Road Tower as their primary transmitting facility. The tower has no TV stations on it currently.
The original tower was near the end of construction when the broadcast antenna was being lifted into place. A small U-bolt failed, causing the antenna to fall and snap the tension wires holding the tower upright. Three workers riding the antenna to the top of the tower and two standing on the tower itself were killed. The entire structure collapsed in less than 17 seconds.
When the tower was under construction, the newly launched KTXH-TV used the tower for their local broadcasting. Months after the tower disaster, KTXH borrowed the transmitter antenna located on the 700 foot (210 m) Allied Bank Plaza (now Wells Fargo Tower) in downtown Houston.
Heights:
- Elevation of Site Above Mean Sea Level: 24.1 metres (79 ft)
- Overall Height Above Ground (AGL): 600.5 metres (1,970 ft)
- Overall Height Above Mean Sea Level: 624.6 metres (2,049 ft)
- Overall Height Above Ground w/o Appurtenances: 569.8 metres (1,869 ft)
External links
- FCC Antenna Structure Registration
- Skyscraperpage.com entry on Senior Road Tower (includes diagram)
- 95.510272&lat=29.576400&w=600&h=400&f=&fs=8&fc=ffffff99&logo=1&lp=---None--- USGS aerial image of Senior Road Tower
- Senior Road Tower at Structurae
- Collapse of Senior Road Tower
- 1982 Senior Road Tower Collapse video - A. Hudack
- Engineering Disasters History Channel Video
