CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A bridge in rural Nueces County that has been closed for two months will receive the repairs needed to reopen it.
A Texas Department of Transportation inspection of the bridge at County Roads 16 and 85 revealed erosion of the timber abutment. A recommendation was then made to close traffic over the bridge.
But, despite the county having barricaded the roadway, the bridge is still in use, Joe A. Gonzalez, Precinct 2 Nueces County Commissioner said.
"The problem there is that the farmers continue to remove the barricades to get through there and don't put the barricades back, so if something happens it's going to fall back on us," Gonzalez said during Wednesday's commissioner court meeting.
The underside of the bridge is owned by Nueces County Drainage District No. 2, Gonzalez said.
However, the drainage district told 6 Investigates it is unsure of the bridge's ownership.
Gonzalez said the county has documentation the bridge was given to the drainage district. He said he has been unable to resolve the issue with the drainage district, the county should make repairs and invoice the cost to the district.
Nueces County Judge Connie Scott said an agreement is needed in order to ensure the district would pay that invoice, but agreed on the urgency of repairs and concern of liability to the county.
Wednesday, commissioners voted to make those repairs, at a cost of nearly $50,000, with or without that agreement.
