"What will happen, something we planned to do just won't get done," Bob Colwell, TxDOT spokesman, said.
The logjam spans the river at the FM 1915 bridge, almost 100 yards across, just south of Buckholts, in western Milam County. TxDOT is concerned river current pushing against heavy logs stresses the bridge's concrete supports and could weaken the structure. For now, the load limit has remained the same, at 80,000 pounds.
Although some preliminary work dragging up large timbers has already begun, a contractor is scheduled to begin full-time work Tuesday, and finish Nov. 3. The contractor will grind up the timbers to be used for mulch.
"We want to get it (the logjam) out. An emergency contract like what we've done here, there is no such thing as a holiday or a weekend," Colwell said.
The bridge will not be closed, except when trucks are entering and exiting the road. Workers will hoist timbers up the riverbank with heavy equipment such as a crane with a long cable, stationed on the side of the road. Trucks will haul away the refuse.
The big mess is a result of more than a foot of rainfall that fell one afternoon upstream in Salado Creek on Sept. 12. That waterway drains into the Little River at a point called Three Forks. A dry summer had already weakened some mighty trees that were clutching with exposed roots to sandy banks. As a result, tree trunks the size of utility poles were washed downstream and for a month have been penned up against the concrete uprights where they collect brush and other debris.
Then last weekend someone poured flammables over the bridge's guardrail and lit a bonfire. Although that act reduced the logjam's size, and allowed water to flow more freely, it delayed cleanup.
"Without the fire, we already could have been in there getting some of this stuff done. The fire actually slowed us down," Colwell said.
Colwell pointed out some areas in the Little River watershed received more rain on Friday: "We don't want it to start rising on us. It's harder to get the material out. The last thing we want is for anyone to get hurt."
Milam County sheriff's officers are investigating the fire but have no suspects. Investigator Chris White said the act was probably a stunt.
"It fits the profile of some kids just going out and doing something stupid," White said. "There's no real motive, it just appears - burn it to burn it, criminal mischief."
After workers have finished removing the logjam, divers will inspect the concrete uprights at the base.
Because the Little River is a school district boundary, the only school buses crossing it would be for extracurricular activities.
The bridge was built in 1972.
This $61,500.00 emergency work is contracted to Klepzig Material & Trucking Inc., out of Hutto.
