Drivers who use the swing bridge at the end of East Roundbunch Road that runs to FM 1006 (Chemical Row) will need to find alternative routes for at least the next year. Orange County Road and Bridge Engineer Clark Slacum reported the bridge has been closed to all traffic.
Acting on a recommendation from the consulting engineer following the regular inspection of the bridge Slacum had crews close the bridge Friday shortly after noon. Slacum said his department knew the swing bridge would be closed in the coming months because of the approximately $8-million rehabilitation project planned for it by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Thursday’s inspection and the subsequent recommendation for the bridge to be closed immediately was completely unexpected according to Slacum.
TxDOT has let the contract for the construction project. Public Information Officer Sarah Dupre with TxDOT indicated it will be probably at least another month or two before the contract is awarded and work begins on the bridge. Dupre estimated the construction on the bridge will take a year and a half before it is completed and the swing bridge is re-opened.
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