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County outlines Conroe 31 bridge replacement engineered 'to move with soils'
Summary
County staff described a $10.1 million‑awarded rebuild of the Conroe 31 bridge northeast of Harwood, a longer five‑span design with a fixed mid‑river pier and movable piers designed to be reset as soils shift; bidding is expected this summer pending approvals.
Kyle provided an engineering update on the Conroe 31 bridge northeast of Harwood, reporting that the existing structure had been closed for nearly two years and the county expects to advertise bids this summer if approvals proceed.
Kyle said the existing bridge is about 470.75 feet long with six spans; the proposed replacement will be roughly 550 feet long, 32 feet wide with five spans and includes a fixed pier in the middle of the river to anchor the structure. "The proposed bridge is 550 foot long, 32 foot wide with 5 spans, and is designed to move with the soils," Kyle said, explaining that selected piers will be reset if movement occurs.
He described the design choices as responses to soil movement on the site: abutments are placed outside the slip plane and several piers are designed to be movable so they can be reset plumb when the river‑bed and soils shift. Kyle estimated a pier reset could cost on the order of $50,000–$100,000 if required in future years.
Staff showed plan and profile views and noted a roughly 3‑foot roadway raise at each end of the new bridge to improve vertical alignment. The county reported the new length reduces frequency of problematic movement across the old alignment and will be bid later this summer if the legislative budget committee confirms the award.
