TxDOT opens public comments for bridge project

By Chris Edwards
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DAM B – A proposed project to replace two existing bridges along US 190 with a single bridge is the subject of a pre-recorded virtual meeting, and residents of Tyler and Jasper counties have the opportunity to give feedback.

The Texas Department of Transportation rolled out the details of the proposal in early March, with the Neches River Relief Bridge and the B.A. Steinhagen bridge to be replaced. The project covers a 1.11-mile stretch along the route, and the proposal shows that the replacement bridge would be constructed adjacent to the north side of the existing bridges, with those bridges subsequently removed.

The project is estimated to cost $30 million, with construction to get underway in the fall of 2024, if the project is greenlit. The estimated timetable sees it to reach the finish line in early 2026.

The new bridge would feature two 12-foot two-way lanes with 10-foot shoulders, according to the report on TxDOT’s website. The wider shoulders will allow more space for disabled vehicles.

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The project outline, states that the purpose of the project is to provide a “modern bridge crossing the Neches River…with a focus on providing a bridge with adequate width and height to safely accommodate transportation needs.”

The project would also be constructed entirely inside the existing 200- to 300-foot permanent transportation easement, which is being used as a right-of-way lane. No new right-of-way lane would be required, and about 8.9 acres of temporary construction easements are proposed to go outside of the existing right-of-way lane.

This proposal is one of many statewide infrastructure projects slated through a record $85 billion package approved by TxDOT last August to address safety, congestion, rural connectivity and preserving the state’s roadways throughout the next decade.

The meeting video, along with the link to the public comment form can be accessed through txdot.gov. Verbal comments can be given by calling 409-203-2579, or residents can email comments to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..