Most Burnet County roads clear; Cow Creek bridge a major rebuild
Ranch Road 1431 at Hamilton Creek was coated in debris after the Fourth of July flood. Road and bridge crews from Burnet County and the Texas Department of Transportation began clearing roads immediately following the devastation, and most are now passable. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Most Burnet County roads are back in working order following the devastation of the Fourth of July flood. Notable exceptions are two low-water crossings on County Road 340 and CR 341 on Hamilton Creek and the Cow Creek bridge on Ranch Road 1431 just across the Burnet-Travis county line.
Burnet County and Texas Department of Transportation crews were working overtime to repair and clear roads and highways following the extreme flooding that took place across the Highland Lakes from July 4-6.
TxDOT crews were immediately dispatched after the flood to clear debris and repair damage to Park Road 4, FM 1174, RM 243, and RM 963. These routes are all now passable.
“The response from TxDOT and county road and bridge has been incredible in a time like this,” said Burnet County Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle. “They all put their heads down and got the work done.”
While most flood-damaged roads and crossings are usable, some could still be a challenge without a four-wheel-drive or all-terrain vehicle. Burnet County road and bridge crews will spend next week smoothing out the impacted areas, according to Precinct 3 Commissioner Chad Collier.
“It’s been steady progress,” he told DailyTrib.com. “Most everything is passable.”
The destroyed low-water crossings on CR 340 and 341 could take some time to rebuild as the projects will require a collaboration with TxDOT and engineering firms before work can be done.
The largest project looming is the Cow Creek bridge on RR 1431, which connects Marble Falls to Lago Vista, Cedar Park, and beyond.
“The bridge at RR 1431 and Cow Creek was completely wiped out by floodwaters,” reads a statement from TxDOT to DailyTrib.com in a response to emailed questions. “Our team is actively working on the design and securing a contractor to begin reconstruction as soon as possible. We understand the enormous impact to travel following these devastating floods, and repairing our roadways is a top priority for TxDOT. We appreciate the public’s patience and resilience as we move forward.”
Currently, there is no timeline for when the bridge will be restored.