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Travis County looking for input to upgrade low water crossing on Spicewood Springs Road

Travis County is looking for public input on how to divert traffic for the building of a bridge over Bull Creek in northwest Austin.

AUSTIN, Texas — When we get storms and heavy rain, roads can flood fast. However, one water crossing is about to get a fix. 

People who drive over Low Water Crossing 1 at Spicewood Springs Road say it floods a few times a year, but a bridge is going in to stop that.

Now, the county is hoping people who live around here can help them decide exactly how to get it built.

"You know, it's not a huge impact, but it's still annoying," said Larry Combs, who lives just up the road from the crossing.

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He said this road floods once or twice a year.

"I live right near it, so it's not a big impact, it's either closed or it's open," said Combs.

And when that happens, he has to take the long way out of his neighborhood, but with what Travis County is building, it could be a whole lot easier.

Credit: Travis County

"It's just a low-lying area," said David Greear, the assistant public works director. "There's a couple of different options, basically different options on how we're going to control traffic, because we have to build a bridge in place of a low water crossing. So, we're going have to either close the road or build a temporary detour route, things like that ... We definitely want input from the citizens, and we have until May 9."

Right now, the county has three options: 

  1. completely close the bridge
  2. limit it to one lane during the construction
  3. build the new bridge completely separate of the crossing

For Combs, while this will keep water where it belongs, he sees other problems.

"Any of those options except for the last option which is to build a brand-new bridge will cause, for me, traffic," he said.

Anyone wishing to provide feedback can fill out the form below:

COMMUNITY MEETING MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2019 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Spicewood Springs Branch, Austin Public Library ● 8637 Spicewood Springs Road ● Austin, Texas 78759 PUBLIC COMMENT FORM

Written comments will be accepted by email at sbecca@huitt-zollars.com or by mail at: Huitt-Zollars, Inc. Attention: Spicewood Springs LWC #1 3701 Executive Center Drive, Suite 101 Austin, TX 78731-1651.

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