Late July is the timeframe state officials aim to completely repair, and possibly reopen, the RM 150 low water crossings over Onion Creek near Driftwood.

Walt Smith, Hays County Pct. 4 Commissioner, said the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), which owns that stretch of RM 150, plans to work with their current concrete contractors to repair the damage caused by flooding in early May.

TxDOT also plans to resurface the pavement at the low water crossing as well. It is unknown at this time the total cost for the repair.

Smith said TxDOT and Hays County officials in recent weeks discussed ways to mitigate the issue, which included an option to possibly build a new bridge or crossing over Onion Creek.

However, that option would have taken more than a year to complete and required for RM 150 to be closed for a “substantial amount of time,” Smith said. State officials would have been required to identify funding for the proposed new crossing as well.

TxDOT amending their current contract with their paving and concrete contractor allowed them to address the problem “sooner rather than later,” Smith said.

Repairing the crossing is critical for county leaders as area roads are experiencing a significant increase in traffic. Smith, who lives in Driftwood, said he has traveled along Lone Man Mountain Road, which is a route around the closure, seven times in the last two days. Hays County Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones posted on social media that the RM 150 closure is causing “significant” traffic increases on FM 1626 and FM 967 in the Buda area.

“The longer that bridge is shut down, the more stress we’re putting on county roads that were not built for that kind of traffic,” Smith said.

As TxDOT repairs the damage, Hays County officials are urging residents to refrain from crossing barricades near the crossing. Smith said county officials will provide more information as it becomes available from TxDOT.

A full story on the future of the RM 150 low water crossings can be found in next week’s Hays Free Press and News-Dispatch. 

Alternate routes 

There are several alternative routes commuters can take to reach Driftwood and Dripping Springs during the RM 150 double crossings closure. Those are:

• FM 1626 to RM 967 to RM 1826 to RR 12
• FM 150 in Kyle to FM 3237 to RR 12 in Wimberley
• FM 150 in Kyle to FM 3237 to Lone Man Mountain Road (CR 183) to RR 12