Kerr County Conscience has learned of another old Kerr County bridge scheduled for replacement. This low water crossing at the Guadalupe and Ehler Lane actually goes to nowhere. The road sign on East Highway 27 warns of “no outlet”. After crossing the bridge there is a turnaround in a dirt field with a closed ranch gate and a distant house in site. href=”http://www.kerrcountyconscience.com/KCCNews_files/BIGdsc02767-2.jpg.JPG” tsrc=”http://www.kerrcountyconscience.com/KCCNews_files/dsc02767-2.jpg”
The bridge is in Texas Department of Transportation plans and funding has been completed. Total cost of this one bridge replacement is $804,727.76. Engineers have already spent $44,881.80 on the project. Because this is a traditionally funded bridge the county pays a portion of the cost. State funded road projects originate at the local level with your elected county commissioner, in this case Jonathan Letz, Precinct 3. Do not blame TxDOT for this questionable expenditure, they will not proceed with any project not requested by the responsible commissioner and approved by the commissioner’s court. TxDOT depends on elected County Commissioners to inform their constituents and hold public hearings to secure public opinion prior to beginning any project. How many voters in Precinct 3 have heard about the bridge replacement on Ehler Lane? How many county residents had an opportunity to offer their opinion?
Yes, your county property taxes are going toward replacement of this bridge.
href=”http://www.kerrcountyconscience.com/KCCNews_files/BIGdsc02769.jpg.JPG” rel=”zoom” title=”Ehler Lane”><img alt=”Ehler Lane” src=”http://www.kerrcountyconscience.com/KCCNews_files/dsc02769.jpg”
Is this the best use of your tax dollars? Could this bridge replacement have been delayed while Commissioner Letz was posturing over expenditures for EMS/Fire protection and opposing library funding? Who will benefit from this bridge to nowhere? You can offer your opinion to TxDOT at http://www.txdot.gov/contact_us/form/”>http://www.txdot.gov/contact_us/form/ and the Kerr County Commissioner’s Court at mailto:commissioners@co.kerr.tx.us commissioners@co.kerr.tx.us.
F. Lovett
KCC