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Engineer outlines Zeel Road bank‑stabilization concept; court authorizes engineering next steps
Summary
An engineering firm presented a concept involving gabion walls, inlet/culvert structures and road reconstruction to address erosion threatening Zeel Road; commissioners asked staff to proceed with preliminary engineering and return with cost estimates and easement needs.
County engineers and a private consultant described severe bank erosion on Zeel Road (south of I‑10 near Caffee Road) and presented a concept for stabilization on Jan. 28 that would combine a reinforced inlet/vertical riser, a gabion wall, ditch improvements, and reconstruction of a 200–300 foot roadway segment.
The consultant, Tom Turk of Freedom Turk Engineering Group, said the immediate condition included slope failures, eroding fill, and water flowing over the road in multiple locations. Photographs shown to the court illustrated broken concrete and ongoing erosion near the pavement edge.
Proposed solution and design challenges: The conceptual fix includes constructing a gabion (rock‑filled basket) wall keyed into the creek bed, building an inlet/culvert and a vertical riser to convey water under the road to creek level (avoiding waterfall drop erosion), and reconstructing the damaged road segment. The firm emphasized the need for preliminary hydraulic work to ensure the solution will not change FEMA flood elevations and called for temporary and permanent easements from adjacent landowners for access, construction and maintenance.
Costs and schedule: The consultant said a credible cost estimate requires preliminary engineering; he estimated the total project would be “well north of $1,000,000” but said the figure could shrink if design refinements reduced the length or extent of reconstruction. The court discussed possible funding sources including remaining road and bridge reserves and a previously discussed $10 million infrastructure allocation. Commissioners directed staff to proceed with engineering work, prepare a contract for design services, and return with schedule and budget recommendations.
Traffic and safety: Commissioners noted the risk posed by heavy truck traffic on the nearby interstate detour routes and the potential for a large vehicle to strike temporary barricades; the county has placed concrete barriers at the site to reduce immediate risk.
Next steps: Staff will develop a preliminary engineering scope to produce a 50% design, identify required easements, produce schedule and budget estimates, and provide a contract for court approval. The court also asked staff to coordinate potential funding options concurrently.
Ending: County leaders urged timely action to avoid a storm‑driven failure and to replace temporary barriers with durable stabilization work once design and funding are in place.
