After the Fischer Store Road bridge in western Hays County was destroyed by the wall of water that tore through the Blanco River during the Memorial Day weekend flood in May, officials estimated a new bridge would be built by May 2016. Hays County will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new bridge Feb. 26, three months ahead of schedule. “Thanks to our partnership with [the Texas Department of Transportation] and help from state and local officials, we were able to start planning the bridge replacement on Monday, Memorial Day, following the devastating 2015 flood that demolished the bridge,” Hays County Commissioner Will Conley, Pct. 3, said in a news release. “The loss of the bridge cut off an essential part of the county’s transportation network, causing public safety and quality of life issues for hundreds of families in southwestern Hays County.” TxDOT began construction on the bridge in November and set what Conley called an ambitious timeline. “For TxDOT to have it finished three months earlier than that is extraordinary,” he said. “We greatly appreciate the push by TxDOT and its contractor to get it finished.” The bridge’s destruction meant drivers traveling to or from Wimberley, Dripping Springs or Austin to the area south of the bridge had to take a 40-50 mile detour, according to the news release. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and members of the TxDOT board of commissioners are expected to attend the ceremony, which will take place at 10 a.m., Feb. 26 at 101 Stone Canyon, Wimberley.