RIO HONDO — This city on the banks of the Arroyo Colorado is preparing its own downtown makeover to match the one its historic mechanical lift bridge is undergoing.
TxDOT and City of Rio Hondo officials say nearly $400,000 is being targeted for the effort.
“We’ve got about a $350,000 project that would put in some sidewalks, and the landscaping, so we’re hoping by the time we open up the bridge that they’re going ahead with this other project,” said Hector Gonzalez, TxDOT’s deputy district engineer for the Pharr district. “Hopefully, when it’s all said and done, it’s going to improve the downtown area as far as what it looks like.”
City Manager Ben Medina said the city would also be putting up $30,000 for the project, which would provide a major upgrade for the city’s downtown area along General Brant Road, also known as FM 106.
– Hector Gonzalez, TxDOT’s deputy district engineer
… we’re hoping that will bring things back, and that whatever losses they had they will make up in a hurry.”
“We are going to re-do all of the sidewalks from the bridge all the way down to Robertson Road,” Medina said. “The core of downtown of about two blocks is going to be reconstructed out of brick pavers.
“Between Reynolds and Harrolds streets, both sides will be brick pavers,” Medina added.
Medina said it was likely the city would add additional funds to its portion of the project to add to TxDOT’s plans for new sidewalk construction and landscaping. Medina said the city wants to add some benches and LED lighting to the area.
“We also have bought one building and also the old Texaco gasoline station,” Medina said. “We bought those to work with businesses that want to come into our city, for example for job creation, for our jobs base.”
Medina also said the city will be working with property owners in the old downtown area to help with updating their facades that face the main road.
For his part, TxDOT’s Gonzalez was almost apologetic over the long closure of the historic mechanical lift bridge which opened for traffic in 1953.
TxDOT shut down the bridge in late September, and projected the job would be finished within 11 months. Later TxDOT’s completion date was pushed back to February 2018, although Gonzalez said the project was ahead of schedule and the bridge could reopen by the end of the year.
“We realize when we go into a small town like that, there’s going to be some sort of impact,” Gonzalez said. “But once we’re done, we’re hoping that will bring things back, and that whatever losses they had they will make up in a hurry.”
