Grape Creek Road Construction Continues Despite Setbacks

After severe storms hit Tom Green County in June, much-needed construction on Grape Creek Road was set back two months. Residents complained about the delay and the poor condition that the road was in. However, work on the road has resumed and new goals have been set concerning its completion.

“We’re continuing to work on Grape Creek Road,” said project head County Commissioner Rick Bacon. “As we speak, they’re filling the drainage ditch, getting it cemented in. Once they finish that, then they’ll go back out and start resurfacing again. They’re going to take up what’s down now and do a complete resurface.”

Grape Creek Road is the most heavily traveled road in Grape Creek due to oil field traffic, as well as traffic caused by the school.

“We’re anticipating it being through, hopefully with no rain, so we should have it through before school starts on the 24^th of August,” Bacon said, crossing his fingers. “That’s our target date that we’re looking for. It’s actually going pretty smooth. They’re getting it completed.”

If the project is not finished by the time school starts, Bacon said he wants it to be completed “for sure” in September by the end of the fiscal year.

“I’m anxious to get it done,” Bacon said.

According to Bacon, work on the drainage ditch has been the hardest part of the project.

“That’s a very tedious operation, getting it dug out and cement poured,” Bacon said. “But it’s looking good out there.”

Bacon claimed to be planning to do additional surface treatment on the road next year.

“If I can work it into the budget, we’re going to put hot mix [asphalt] down instead of the two-fourths overlay on [the road],” Bacon said. “Hot mix is a lot longer lasting, and it will decrease our maintenance on that road considerably. With the heavy traffic that we’ve got back and forth on there, it’s a little more expensive to do it that way, but, in the long run, it save us in repair work that we have to do.”

Bacon said that he hopes the Grape Creek Road will be in good condition for five years or more before the county has to do more maintenance on it if hot mix asphalt is added.

“The way it is right now, we’re working on it every year with the heavy traffic that’s on there,” Bacon said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to get that taken care of next year, and get it striped and painted and good to go for a while.”

Bacon added, “Right now, I’m just planning on going from Renn Road to US 87 [with hot mix asphalt] to cover the two schools because that’s where the heaviest traffic is. [In] future years, we may extend it out further towards West Grape Creek Road in that area. It’s still pretty heavily traveled on, that section of it, but not near as bad as what it is where the schools are because of the traffic that the schools generate.”

For more about residents’ complaints about Grape Creek Road, check out San Angelo LIVE!’s previous article.