TxDOT speeds up Cow Creek bridge replacement after being washed away by floodwaters

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Department of Transportation on Friday held a press conference and announced it was awarded an emergency contract this week to rebuild the RM 1431 bridge over Cow Creek in north Travis County. This was because, on July 5, floodwaters had washed the original structure.

Construction on the bridge replacement is set to begin on Monday. The bridge is expected to be complete by Sept. 19, according to the agency.

TxDOT said the 240-foot-long structure was originally built in 1960.

According to the transportation agency, more than 3,500 vehicles a day travel on RM 1431 in the area where the bridge is located.

“Replacing this bridge that has served the traveling public well for the past 65 years is a top priority,” said TxDOT Austin District Engineer Tucker Ferguson. “The bridge will be built to current design standards, making it higher and wider than the old structure.” 

TxDOT said the bridge will include 12-foot travel lanes, a 2-foot striped median, and 6-foot shoulders on both sides. At its highest point, the new bridge will be about five feet higher than the previous bridge.