LEON VALLEY, Texas – Leon Valley residents are relieved after seeing less flooding on a stretch of Evers Road that was notorious for causing lots of damage during heavy weather.
The fix is due, in large part, to a new bridge installed two weeks ago in the area that diverts the floodwaters.
“It was like rivers through here (in the past). It was bad,” said Lucy Gonzalez, referring to the severe flooding on Evers Road near Rimkus Park. She anticipated the flooding on Monday but never saw anything, despite heavy rains known to collect there and make the road impassable.
“It was a hassle (in the past), I will say,” Gonzalez said.
She said she often had to take lengthy detours to get around Evers Road.
“You have to go all the way down to Bandera (Road). That light is what takes forever,” said Joshua Villegas, Gonzalez’s son.
But the Evers Road Bridge, which was recently built, allows floodwaters to pass under it, keeping the path clear for drivers.
Firefighters said they had to close the bridge for about 40 minutes Tuesday morning to clear off debris, but if the bridge hadn't been there, they said, they would have had to remain at the scene, in protective gear, until the waters receded. That could've taken hours or even days.
“That’s a relief. You save a lot of time,” Gonzalez said.
Leon Valley officials said it used to take only 1.5 inches of rain to flood that part of Evers Road. On Monday, a rain gauge measured more than 6.5 inches of rain, which proves that the bridge is serving its purpose.
Officials hope to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $2.7 million bridge in the coming weeks.