TxDOT to rebuild 3 bridges in Amarillo

Published: Sep. 22, 2023 at 9:17 PM CDT|Updated: Sep. 22, 2023 at 10:12 PM CDT

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) -Three bridges in Amarillo are scheduled for demolition and subsequent reconstruction by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Bridges at Yucca Avenue and East Amarillo Creek, Irwin Road and East Amarillo Creek, and Hughes Adams Street at BNSF railroad South West 1st North West 1st will undergo restoration. However, because of the new law, the city won’t have to pay for this.

“In the past, it was federal and cities were involved with bridges. Now it’s with a recent bill that was signed it’s 100% federal. So the city will have no financial responsibility with this,” says Jason Britsch, Public Information Officer for the Amarillo District of Texas Department of Transportation.

This is because of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The city will still own and have to maintain these bridges, but now the federal government will foot 100% of the bill.

“So TxDOT will be constructing it will be engineering it will be coming up with a plan for it. It will be up to the city to maintain it,” says Britsch.

TxDOT says the reason these bridges are being replaced is because of aging infrastructure and safety concerns.

“Our job is to make sure people when they go out to drive no matter what road it is, a county road, a highway, an interstate or, you know, a bridge. It doesn’t matter. We need to always make sure that these bridges are 100% safe to drive on, and that they are maintained all the time,” says Britsch.

It’s estimated that TxDOT will be taking bids in the fall of 2025 and then start construction in early 2026.