Orange County Judge John Gothia has announced that the East Roundbunch Road swing bridge will remain closed to vehicular traffic for an additional two and a half to three weeks. This update follows a briefing provided to the Commissioners Court by County Engineer Corey Oldbury regarding the status of the bridge, which connects vehicular traffic across Cow Bayou.
The East Roundbunch Road bridge, jointly managed by Orange County and the Texas Department of Transportation, is currently non-operational due to a required control panel replacement. The bridge, which uses manual controls on an electrical system to swing open for boat and barge traffic as required by federal marine laws, will stay open to allow marine navigation while repairs are pending. Consequently, all road traffic for cars and trucks remains halted.
Judge Gothia indicated that the new control panel, which costs $14,000 excluding installation, is expected to arrive within the next two weeks. The installation will be carried out by specialized technicians. The bridge, originally installed in 1961, was acquired as a used structure and has since served as a crucial shortcut between Bridge City and FM 1006, also known as Chemical Row, facilitating access to the industrial area that employs thousands.
