With contract approved, work on 340/341 crossings could begin soon
A contract has been awarded for the restoration of the bridge on Burnet County Road 341 (pictured), which was heavily damaged in the Fourth of July weekend flood. A construction timeline isn’t available, but local officials hope it can be completed before the end of the year. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Burnet County has awarded a contract for the restoration of the County Road 341 bridge and CR 340 water crossing, which were both heavily damaged in the Fourth of July weekend flood. Officials hope work can begin by mid-October and completed by the end of the year.
The CR 341 bridge, which spans Hamilton Creek northeast of Marble Falls, is currently impassable, making commutes longer for nearby residents. The CR 340 low-water crossing is passable but needs significant repairs to be back at 100 percent.
The Burnet County Commissioners Court on Sept. 23 approved a $594,000 contract with Bertram-based Gage & Cade Construction for the project. Before work can begin, the Federal Emergency Management Agency needs to inspect both sites to determine if the county is eligible for a 75-percent reimbursement of the cost.
The inspections are expected to be completed by Oct. 6.
“This project can’t start until at least after (Oct. 6) so that we can make sure it is within the FEMA plan,” Burnet County Judge Bryan Wilson explained during Tuesday’s meeting.
If FEMA approves a reimbursement, the county’s portion of the $594,000 total would be $148,000. Wilson said it could be over a year before a reimbursement decision is made; however, work will move forward as soon as possible.
“It was told to (Gage & Cade Construction) that time is of the essence,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Chad Collier told DailyTrib.com. “I’m hoping to get it started by mid-October.”
He said work possibly could be done before the end of the year, but the project’s timeline will be clearer after a pre-construction meeting following the FEMA inspections.
“We’ll be rocking and rolling after (the inspections),” Collier said. “The sooner we can get this done, the better.”