A bridge that Burnet County has been trying to build since the 1970s just hit another snag — this time after evidence of Early Archaic human activity was found near the proposed route. The discovery near the proposed Wirtz Dam Road crossing has pushed construction back to fall 2029, delaying a project that officials say could shave crucial minutes off emergency response times between Horseshoe Bay and Marble Falls.
The planned bridge would connect RM 1431 near Granite Shoals and west of Marble Falls with RM 2147 West in Cottonwood Shores, adjacent to Horseshoe Bay, running over an existing submerged water crossing, according to marblefallsmessenger.com. Burnet County Judge Bryan Wilson told the outlet that engineering on the span is about 95% complete. The project has been discussed since the 1970s, with KXAN Austin noting it was formally included in Burnet County's 1974 transportation plan.
Ancient Fire Rocks and a Spear Point Force a Redesign
The delay traces back to a discovery made during an environmental review, when a Texas Historical Commission archaeologist found evidence of Early Archaic Period human activity near the proposed route — fire-cracked rocks, a spear point and stone fragments indicating tool crafting, according to the Daily Trib. That report said the bridge underwent a slight redesign in March 2025 because of the find. The find has delayed construction, which had been planned for the end of this year, until fall 2029, per the same account from the Daily Trib.
Burnet County Commissioner Joe Don Dockery, a Marble Falls native who has served on the commissioners court for 20 years, said construction could begin by fall 2029 and the bridge could be completed by 2031, the Daily Trib reported. Dockery also said the resignation of former Burnet County Judge James Oakley in December 2024, who had been spearheading the project's development, caused additional delays. The redesign following the archaeological findings added about a year to the bridge's construction timeline, according to the same report.
Costs and Completion Estimates Don't Fully Line Up
Funding for the project comes from multiple sources. CAMPO funded the engineering portion through federal transportation funding, amounting to $3 million paid to KC Engineering, per the Marble Falls Messenger. Burnet County has set aside about $3 million for land acquisition, and the project carries another $10 million in federal appropriations, the bulk of it earmarked for utility relocation, officials told that outlet.
Total cost estimates vary depending on the source. A March 2025 project report cited by the Marble Falls Messenger put construction costs at $35 million and total project costs at roughly $47.44 million, with TxDOT and the Federal Highway Administration covering the full construction figure. KXAN Austin, however, has described the project's estimated total cost as roughly $63 million, with TxDOT handling $50 million in construction and Burnet County contributing $3 million toward right-of-way acquisition. Completion timelines also diverge: the Marble Falls Messenger reported the project could potentially be finished by the end of 2031, while KXAN Austin has said completion is expected in 2032.
A Public Safety Case Decades in the Making
Officials have long framed the bridge as more than a traffic fix. It's also about EMS response — a public safety project, per the account from the Marble Falls Messenger. The span is envisioned as a way for motorists to bypass Marble Falls.
The bridge would also give drivers an alternative to the U.S. 281 bridge in Marble Falls and to the RM 2900 bridge and Slab Road crossing in Kingsland, the Daily Trib reported. An earlier proposal, estimated at close to $20 million, received CAMPO support — a fraction of the sum now tied up in the current, far larger version of the project. A 1990s-era start to development on the project has stretched across more than three decades, the Marble Falls Messenger noted.
What Comes Next
The Burnet County Commissioners Court's Aug. 17, 2026, agenda included consideration of approving and executing documents for the Texas Historical Commission's antiquities permit application covering archaeology related to the proposed Wirtz Dam Road improvements from RM 1431 to RM 2147, according to the county's own agenda packet. Separately, project information published by the Texas Department of Transportation describes plans for Burnet County, in coordination with the agency, to reconstruct Wirtz Dam Road as a two-lane undivided roadway with paved shoulders between RM 1431 and RM 2147, along with a new bridge over Lake Marble Falls and added turn, deceleration and acceleration lanes.
For now, the timeline hinges on finishing the archaeological permitting process before crews can break ground. Dockery told the Daily Trib that the project would follow state and federal rules. The crossing — first floated half a century ago — still has to wait.
