SOUTH PADRE ISLAND – The state continues to maintain a warning system at the Queen Isabella Causeway 17 years after the highest section of the bridge collapsed.

In the early hours of Sept. 15, 2001, a barge crashed into the causeway, leaving a huge gap where drivers plunged into the dark waters.

Out of 11 people, only three survived.

Years after the tragedy, the Texas Department of Transportation installed a $12 million fiber optic cable warning system that is capable of sending telephone alerts to emergency responders.

KRGV’s Daisy Martinez learned the agency is seeking to upgrade the bridge’s safety by adding cameras, but there’s no set timeline for that project as of yet.

Watch the video above for more information.