By Michael V. Hannigan
Plans call for FM 317 to be reopened in late May or early April June, according to a TxDOT engineer.
Representatives from TxDOT met with area residents Monday morning near where the road washed out last May, about three miles east of State Highway 31 and near the Fish and Game Club Lake.
Steven Hall, the TxDOT Director of Maintenance for the Tyler District, said that plans for fixing the road were currently in Austin and were expected to go out for bids in February. Hall said he expected work to begin in April and finish in either late May or early June.
That scenario is consistent with what TxDOT told Henderson County Now in November.
That schedule, of course, depends on the weather.
Hall said the plan calls for completely replacing the roadway in the area and expected the project to cost about $500,000.
Road Closed
One issue local residents discussed with TxDOT was motorists ignoring the current “Road Closed” signage.
The stories ranged from parties on the dam late at night, 18-wheelers trying to turn around in driveways, and even an abandoned car sitting for several weeks.
TxDOT promised to look into adding more signage, because the road will be closed at least for the next six months.