The details
Located about a half-mile north of Loop 360, the project known as the Spicewood Springs Low Water Crossing Project No. 1 is expected to help address flooding concerns during rain events caused by Bull Creek, which runs under the existing bridge.
The project will construct a new 34-foot roadway just south of the existing bridge, providing one 11-foot lane in each direction alongside 5-foot shoulders and a railing, according to project schematics. Once the new bridge is completed, the existing 24-foot crossing will be removed, according to the project’s webpage.
In February, the Travis County Commissioners Court approved the acquisition of about 1 acre under eminent domain to allow construction of the bridge. This is an ongoing process the county hopes to have completed by the end of the summer, said Hector Nieto, Travis County public information officer, in an April 9 interview.
What to know
Original project timelines estimated construction on the bridge would begin in the third quarter of 2025.
“We would like for that to happen, but the way things are going right now, we expect it will probably be a little bit delayed just because of where we are with the right of way process ... and then also the permitting process,” Nieto said.
Once all necessary right of way is acquired, the project will move into the permitting stage, followed by construction. Construction of the bridge is expected to take about a year, according to the project webpage, and still allow traffic through the existing bridge during construction.
As of April 9, the project was still on track to cost $4.5 million, the amount originally allocated out of 2017 bond funding.
“With uncertainties now with tariffs and things like that, that cost may go up, but we do have contingencies to help pay for those costs,” Nieto said.
