Sign up for TPR Today, Texas Public Radio's newsletter that brings our top stories to your inbox each morning.
The FM 481 bridge over the Nueces River in Uvalde County will reopen Sunday, more than a month after historic flooding washed away part of the bridge approach.
The Texas Department of Transportation says crews completed emergency repairs in 37 days, several weeks ahead of the original schedule. In late July, TxDOT said the bridge was not expected to reopen until the end of September.
The repairs cost more than $3 million and included rebuilding the bridge approach and repairing other infrastructure to make the roadway safe for travel.
“FM 481 is a vital connection for the Uvalde community,” San Antonio District Engineer Charles Benavidez said in a statement. “We moved quickly to assess the damage and complete repairs so access could be restored as quickly and safely as possible.”
The bridge is scheduled to reopen Sunday, Aug. 23. TxDOT says minor work will continue in the area, and drivers should use caution.
A critical connection
FM 481, also known locally as Old Eagle Pass Road, stretches about 44 miles from U.S. 90 in Uvalde to U.S. 57 in Eagle Pass.
The route is an important connection for residents and businesses in the rural area.
Ranchers, agricultural workers and commercial traffic use the road to travel between Uvalde and Eagle Pass.
The bridge was partially destroyed during the July 2026 flooding, when intense rainfall sent the Nueces River and other waterways rapidly out of their banks.
Images released by the Texas Department of Public Safety showed a large section of the bridge approach washed away.
At the time, the closure forced people who regularly used FM 481 to take lengthy detours. The damage came as Uvalde County was dealing with widespread flooding and road closures.
Historic flooding
The July storm brought as much as 28 inches of isolated rainfall to parts of the Texas Hill Country. The Nueces and Leona rivers reached historic flood levels, causing extensive damage to roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
One person died in Uvalde County during the flooding. A 74-year-old man from out of state was killed July 16 after driving into high water north of Uvalde. A DPS air unit spotted his vehicle in floodwaters near U.S. 83 North and County Road 400.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ultimately confirmed three flood-related deaths from the storm system across the region: one in Uvalde County, one in Kerr County and one in Val Verde County.
The flooding also temporarily made parts of Uvalde difficult to access. At the height of the storm, local officials described some roads as practically impassable.
The reopening of FM 481 restores one of the area's key rural transportation links just over a month after the floodwaters damaged it.
TxDOT says drivers should continue to obey traffic controls and use caution while crews finish minor work near the bridge.
