LONG AWAITED OPENING OF BRAZOS RIVER BRIDGE

  

A Ribbon Cutting ceremony was held this (Friday) morning for the new bridge that crosses the Brazos River on State Highway 105.  The project was begun by TxDOT in 2014 and then was redesigned after Hurricane Harvey and the flooding in 2016.  The project is actually three bridges, Coles Creek, the Brazos River, and the Navasota River, plus the highway to connect them.  The overall cost of the project is 33.4 million dollars.

Both the Washington County Judge John Durrenberger and Grimes County Judge Joe Fauth III spoke at the event.  The EMS helicopter landed on the bridge before the ceremony, but then had to leave for a call during the ceremony, causing an interruption of several minutes as it started it engine and took off.  Washington County EMS Director Kevin Deramus said he was grateful that TxDOT designed and built a river boat launch site under the bridge for his men to utilize for training and river emergencies.

TxDOT plans to open the bridges to highway traffic next week Tuesday. After traffic is moved to the new section of Highway 105, the contractor, James Construction Group, will begin removing the old bridges and roadway.  They will also temporarily close FM 159 at the intersection of Highway 105 between the Brazos and Navasota bridges while a new tie-in is constructed.  A signed detour will be in place to direct the public to use Highway 105 to Highway 6 to FM 2154 to access FM 159.  The tie-in work is expected to last two months.