McLennan County working to repair 14 closed roads after rain

The local disaster declaration that County Judge Scott Felton issued on May 3 has been expanded by the McLennan County Commissioners Court, and officials are still preparing cost estimates to repair the roads.

“The road to recovery may seem daunting, but we want to assure you that we are working diligently to repair affected county roads,” Felton said Tuesday. “McLennan County urges the community to remain patient and cooperative as we navigate the aftermath (of the recent rain and flooding).”

The county's four district highway and bridge departments are in the process of assessing the damage and prioritizing repairs, he said.

A bridge northwest of West City is closed due to damage to the bank below it. In some other places, sections of roadway have been washed away with collapsed or damaged culverts.

“Some of the repairs will be quick and cost about $5,000,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Jim Smith said. “Others involve replacing culverts that can cost $10,000 or more to buy new and then we have to rent a very large piece of equipment to install them. They could cost $30,000 or more.”

Patton Branch Road, about a half-mile from Gholson Road, had two 10-foot-diameter culverts damaged by recent heavy rain storms, leaving a dangerous gap in Patton Branch, County Engineer Zane Dunnam said.

“The two metal round pipe culverts are approximately 78 feet long and approximately 30 feet below the roadway,” Dunnam said.

A W. County Line Road East bridge, on Alligator Creek tributary no. 747, was already somewhat damaged from age and previous flooding, Dunnam said.

“The recent flooding events only made the damage worse. The bridge itself is likely still in acceptable condition, but the concrete break under the bridge is so damaged that it needs to be replaced,” he said Dunnam. “There is also a lot of scour and erosion under the bridge that will need to be repaired.”

The Patton Branch and County Line Road East repairs are among those significant enough that the county may need to hire outside engineering, design and repair teams, officials said.

Smith asked residents for patience.

“Those roads that are closed, we're going to prioritize and get them open first,” Smith said. “And of course trees across a road are a priority as well, but a few branches in a ditch that aren't really causing a problem, well, we'll get to those. And potholes that are dangerous are also on the list, because we know that flooding can remove some potholes.”

But the first priority is to safely close the roads and fully repair them to reopen them to traffic, Smith said.

Repair and reconstruction efforts may cause inconvenience such as detours and temporary outages, Felton said.

“We understand the frustration they can cause, but they are an essential step in the rebuilding process,” Felton said. “Thank you for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”