Comal County commissioners on Oct. 9 approved an engineering contract for the River Road low-water crossing at Jacobs Creek and heard staff updates about other road projects, including a planned intersection closure for Altgelt bridge tie-ins.

County staff recommended and the court approved a $299,000 engineering services contract for the low-water crossing at Jacobs Creek, a location that floods in heavy storms and has previously cut off access for residents and emergency services. A motion to approve the engineering contract passed by voice vote.

Robert Boyd, who presented the project updates to the court, said the Jacobs Creek crossing “goes underwater really easily with a decent sized storm” and noted the work is budgeted for engineering in 2025 with construction planned in 2026.

Boyd also briefed the court on an Altgelt bridge replacement. He said changeable message signs are already posted and that starting Oct. 16 the intersection tying new bridge approaches to existing roads will be closed for about two months through mid‑December. He said detours are in place and the new bridge is expected to open by mid‑January — earlier than the previous April completion estimate.

Boyd highlighted a separate long-range accomplishment: right‑of‑way dedication obtained decades ago along Veil Routt Road allowed the county to clear and realign a curve this summer, improving safety as planned by earlier county engineers.

Why this matters: The River Road crossing and Altgelt bridge replacement affect local access and emergency response; the Jacobs Creek site was specifically cited as trapping people during a July 5 rain event. The approved engineering contract advances design and permitting work ahead of planned construction in 2026.

No construction contracts were executed at the meeting; the court approved engineering services that county staff said are needed to complete design and proceed to construction next year.