Officials hold U.S. 281 bridge ceremony before opening Oct. 9
JARED FIELDS • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — The second U.S. 281 bridge over Lake Marble Falls welcomed its first non-construction vehicle Oct. 9.
Local, county and state officials gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the north end of the southbound bridge at about 9 a.m. before two 2014 Ford Mustangs crossed the bridge.
Line striping work will be completed before the bridge opens to traffic later in the afternoon.
Howard Lyons, Burnet Area Engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation, said southbound traffic is expected to be moved to the new bridge the afternoon on Oct. 9.
“This was a very unique project that will greatly enhance safety and mobility for all motorists,” he said. “I’m glad to celebrate the opening of these new bridges to traffic.”
Once traffic is moving on both bridges, construction crews will work until December to complete the project.
After the project is finished, both bridges will accommodate two lanes of traffic with a wide shoulder on the outside lanes of each bridge and a sidewalk for pedestrians and cyclists.
jared@thepicayune.com
