Montgomery residents and local business owners met with city officials to voice their concerns regarding the status of the Buffalo Springs Drive bridge repair during a neighborhood meeting May 30. After extensive flood damage last spring, the bridge was closed in May 2016 and has remained blocked off for the past 12 months. Construction on the project has been delayed repeatedly due to hiccups in the process to receive Federal Emergency Management Agency aid to fund the repairs. During the meeting, City Engineer Ed Shackelford gave a presentation regarding the project’s status, cost and estimated timeline. Here are a few things to know about the project: 1. The bridge and canal repairs will cost approximately $1.6 million. The project will cost approximately $870,000 to restore the bridge to its pre-flood conditions, and an additional $740,000 to improve and reinforce the bridge to prevent future flood damage, for a total cost of $1,610,000. Upon approval, FEMA would pay $1,393,000 of the total and a Texas Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief would foot the remainder of the bill, or $227,000. 2. The construction timeline puts the construction completion date in Spring 2018. Because FEMA is involved, the city is unable to begin construction on the repairs until it meets all the requirements necessary to receive federal funding. The following is an outline of the project’s anticipated timeline, however, the time frame is subject to change: • June-August 2017: the city completes an environmental review and receives a US Army Corp of Engineer’s permit • September-October 2017: the city received final FEMA approval, begins advertising for project bids and prepares construction contracts. • November 2017-February 2018: construction to repair the Buffalo Springs Drive bridge takes place. • March 2018: the Buffalo Springs Drive bridge reopens to the public. 3. The bridge and canal will be improved from their pre-flood conditions. On top of just repairing the bridge and canal to pre-flood conditions, the area will be enhanced to prevent similar damage in the future. On both the north and south bank plans, the concrete approach slab and bridge asphalt will be removed and replaced, concrete slope paving will be added and a proposed storm sewer will also be added. The channel will also be dredged and improved to prevent future flooding. To view the full presentation, click here.