ATLANTA, TX Two narrow bridges on US 271 in northwest Titus County will be replaced during the next couple of years according to plans approved in June by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

"We will be replacing the bridges crossing Ripley Creek and Ripley Creek Relief," said Bill Compton, Area Engineer for TxDOT in Mount Pleasant, Texas. "The current structures are 26 feet wide and the new ones will be 44 feet wide with two, 12-foot traffic lanes and 10-foot shoulders on each side. We will also be raising the elevation of the bridges about nine feet to improve drainage under the bridges."

The new bridges will be constructed to the northeast of the current highway, so traffic will continue to use the current facilities while the work is being conducted. Longview Bridge and Road of Longview was awarded the contract for the project with a bid of $9 million. Work on the project should begin in September and take about 26 months to complete Compton said.

Maintenance repairs will be made to a bridge in Bowie County and two in Panola County during the coming year according to plans approved in June by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

"We will be making repairs to the concrete decking to the bridge on US 67 crossing Bassett Creek in Bowie County and to the approaches and joints on two bridges on US 59 at US 79 in Carthage in Panola County," said Kenny Icenhower, Area Engineer for TxDOT in Texarkana, Texas.

Stateline Construction of Texarkana was awarded the contract for the construction projects with a bid of $1.4 million.

Work on the projects should begin in September and take about 13 months to complete, Icenhower said.