TxDOT releases road map for Cow Creek bridge rebuild
The Fourth of July flood destroyed the Cow Creek bridge on RR 1431 between Marble Falls and Lago Vista. Photo courtesy of TxDOT
A new Cow Creek bridge on RR 1431 east of Marble Falls could be completed by Sept. 19, or even sooner, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT awarded an emergency construction contract for the rebuild on July 18 after a two-day bidding process. Construction started Monday, July 21.
The bridge, located near the Burnet-Travis county line, was destroyed during the Fourth of July weekend flood, making RR 1431 from Marble Falls to Lago Vista and Cedar Park impassable.
TxDOT awarded a $4 million contract to Hunter Industries on Friday with an emphasis on speed. The company can earn as much as $1 million in incentives for finishing the bridge up to 20 days early.
“Replacing this bridge that has served the traveling public well for the past 65 years is a top priority,” TxDOT Austin District engineer Tucker Ferguson said in a July 18 media release. “The bridge will be built to current design standards, making it higher and wider than the old structure.”
The new bridge will be 240 feet long with 12-foot travel lanes, 6-foot shoulders, and a 2-foot striped median. It will stand about 5 feet higher than the previous bridge.
VIDEO: TxDOT begins construction on new Cow Creek bridge on July 21, 2025
The old structure, built in 1960, served roughly 3,500 vehicles a day as a vital crossing on RR 1431, one of the main routes between the Highland Lakes and Austin metro areas.
With the Cow Creek bridge washed out, those traveling RR 1431 from Marble Falls to communities east of the bridge will have to take Texas 71, Texas 29, or a combination of RM 1174 and RM 1869.
For example, the drive from Marble Falls to Lago Vista is now about 47 miles and takes over an hour on an alternate route compared to the roughly 28 miles and half-hour it was on RR 1431.
“The contractor is expected to work around the clock, when possible, to accelerate construction,” according to a TxDOT media release from July 16.
State crews have been prepping the bridge site and clearing debris since floodwaters receded.
DailyTrib.com will provide updates on the project’s progression as they are made available by TxDOT.
5 thoughts on “TxDOT releases road map for Cow Creek bridge rebuild”
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Daily Trib, could you check with the Burnet County Commissioners and see if they can give you an idea of when they’ll start, and complete, work on the bridge over Hamilton Creek on 341? Those of us on the bridge end of the road are having to travel twice as far as well, to get to Marble. I’d like to hear something.
Great news! Just make sure it’s a good well-built solid bridge that will withstand future Cow Creek floodings! Thanks
Update on marble falls water boil please.
Thank you
Thank you to TxDOT for all their hard work on this bridge and in so many other places around Marble Falls. Clearing debris, clearing bureaucracy, and making repairs to help all of us. Amazing speed and quality.
Live nearby and this will help greatly. Amazing what they did to get the whole site cleaned up in less than a week. Now good news as well on the rebuild. Great work. Keep the family of Malaya Hammond in your prayers, the sweet soul we lost on that bridge.