After enduring severe weather conditions last month that damaged FM 1097 at Atkins Creek, Montgomery County officials have given the green light to drivers once again. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) moved quickly to address the collapse, and County Judge Mark Keough confirmed on Facebook that the road has been reopened as of August 5. This comes following reports from the Community Impact about the roadway's dire situation after the storm. The compromised infrastructure was a cause for prompt action, given the route is a key connector for residents migrating daily between Montgomery and Interstate 45.
Significant rainfall on July 23 initiated the partial collapse, prompting immediate road closure by TxDOT. The teams began to hurriedly work on the bridge just four days later, rerouting flood waters to secure and start to rebuild the disrupted part. "I’m amazed at the work that TxDOT and the contractors have been able to complete in such a short period of time,” Keough stated in a sentiment echoed by the Houston Chronicle. Although the road is operational, Keough cautions that work is not fully complete, asking for continued vigilance from the public while workers finalize the restorations.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the danger was brought to light by a Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife game warden, who noticed the failing bridge while it was still daylight. The damage, a consequence of more than 4 inches of rain in the area, caused TxDOT to close the roadway on July 24 amid fears of a total collapse. Erosion had been an ongoing concern, with TxDOT records showing about 1,700 feet of the creek's encroachment since 2016 and previous repairs in 2020 south of the bridge targeting similar issues.
Now, the newly completed repairs aim to stabilize the embattled area. As articulated by Keough, workers will "return this week to complete shoring up the surrounding areas with concrete to prevent any further erosion to the bridge area." Reiterating the call for driver caution from the Community Impact coverage, citizens are urged to remain alert as the final touches on FM 1097 take shape in the aftermath of the storm and under the summer heat that continues to beat down upon Montgomery County.
