Cow Creek bridge construction expedited after devastating flooding

MARBLE FALLS, Texas – TxDOT is expediting the construction of a bridge that was washed out two weeks ago during the deadly flooding. 

TxDOT Austin District Engineer Tucker Ferguson said this project has cut the line and the developer is utilizing resources from another project to get this one done sooner.

Cow Creek bridge reconstruction

It has been two weeks since water rushed through Cow Creek, washing away the 1431 bridge. The bridge connected Lago Vista to Marble Falls and was the only direct route.

“Replacing this bridge immediately became a top priority for us,” Ferguson said.

TxDOT has awarded an emergency contract to Hunter Industries at a cost of $4 million. The contractor could earn up to a million dollars in incentives by finishing the bridge up to 20 days early.

“Ideally, we would like to have traffic on the new bridge as close to the start of the new school year as possible,” Ferguson said.

Completing the construction of a bridge on such a tight timeline is something Ferguson said is unusual.

“One of the things we were able to do was secure concrete beams from another project that we’ve designed this bridge to match those beams. On a typical project, if we go to a standard letting a bid opening, awarding a contract, usually a contractor will order those beams which need to be fabricated, shipped, designed, fabricated, and shipped to us, that can take up to 6 months,” Ferguson said.

This bridge will look different from the one that was standing before, which was built in 1960.

“This bridge was designed to the current engineering standards, making it slightly higher and wider, meaning that the bridge will be approximately 5 feet higher than the previous bridge,” Ferguson said.

The bridge will have 12-foot travel lanes, 6-foot shoulders, and a 2-foot striped median.

There will be a detour as construction is ongoing. Residents in the area said it takes a while.

“It takes half a day, you know, it’s inconvenient,” Marble Falls resident Ed Dib said.

“We appreciate the public’s patience during this time,” Ferguson said.

Work on the permanent bridge is set to begin on Monday, July 21. 

Ferguson said they are still looking at the possibility of a low-water crossing as a temporary solution, but said it may not be possible because of how many people utilize the road. It’s estimated about 3,000 vehicles do so every day.