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The
Endangered Spring Creek Bridge of Ellis County
Another Piece of Texas to be
Replaced by "Progress"Visiting
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Dear Texas Escapes:
On
your web page Waxahachie
Images, you have a lovely photo of an old iron bridge. The photo is captioned:
Historic bridge near downtown Waxahachie. | |
I
thought it might interest you and your readers to know that this bridge has a
sister. The bridge in the photograph was built by the Iron Bridge Company of Canton
Ohio. That same company built a second bridge in Ellis County to span Chambers
Creek. This second bridge was completed in 1888 and the note was paid off in 1890.
It
lived its life in that location until 1981, when, sadly it could now longer satisfy
the increased demands the modern world was placing on it. But the story doesn't
end there... |
As
the saying goes, there was good news, and there was bad news:
The good
news was that the bridge was sold by the County to a developer who relocated the
bridge to its current location in Ellis County: 1890 crossing, spanning the Spring
Creek, where it is daily used and deeply loved by residents of Ellis County.
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bad news was that by moving the bridge, the bridge lost it's official "Historic"
status. This is important, because the bridge is once again under threat.
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Residents of the Spring Creek area were surprised to see construction crews putting
up "bridge out" signs. When they inquired more, only then were they told that
the bridge was about to be demolished in order to make way for a new, modern,
2 lane concrete bridge. While TxDoT has a procedure for such projects, that includes
at least 2 public outreach sessions to gage the feelings of the community, that
process was not followed.
Given the short amount of time, the citizens
had no other recourse but to file an injunction against the county to stop construction.
In doing so, they also invited the county to sit down with them and discuss other
options for saving the bridge.
No such luck.
After hearing the
requests of their constituents, the county commissioner decided that an appropriate
response would be to authorize filing suit against the citizens who are trying
to save the bridge.
Please help get the word out. To anyone who loves
these historic reminders of our past, we need your help. |
Please
contact the Ellis county commissioners and let them know that this bridge is loved,
and needs to remain in its current location. Please call or e-mail them and ask
them to save the Spring Creek Bridge.
In particular, we want letters and
phone calls to go to our commissioners, TxDoT, and our federal representatives
(80% of the money being used for this project is federal money).
Commissioners
Pct. 1 - Dennis Robinson (972) 449-3260 Dennis.Robinson@co.ellis.tx.us
Pct.
2 - Larry Jones (972) 875-3241 Judy.borders@co.ellis.tx.us
Pct. 3 - Heath
Sims (972) 483-7477 Alysa.Kirton@co.ellis.tx.us
Pct. 4 - Ron Brown (972) 723-8017
Stacey.Lee@co.ellis.tx.us
Hon. John Cornyn P-(972) 239-1310
F-(972)
239-2110
Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison
P-(214)361-3500
F-(214)361-3502
Hon. Joe Barton P-(972) 875-8488
There is a very short time frame
to do something. We are being forced to drop our lawsuit due to the financial
pressure being put on us by TxDoT so time is definitely running out.
-
Joe Bento, Ellis County Resident, June 30, 2005 |
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