Highway 224 bridge project completed

The trip between Greenville and Commerce just got a little shorter.

An effort to replace a bridge along one of two highways that span the Hunt County communities finally been completed.

Tim McAlavy, public information officer for the Texas Department of Transportation Paris District Office, said the State Highway 224 at the South Sulphur River in Hunt County was reopened for traffic Tuesday afternoon.

“Yes that is correct,” McAlavy said. “It reopened about one hour ago.” The bridge was closed in early August 2022. The contractor, Highway 19 Construction LLC, was granted 126 working days to complete the project valued at more than $2.6 million, with a target completion date in January 2023, but was likely hampered due to frequent weather delays.

The bridge is located five miles southwest of Commerce and 1.3 miles northeast of Neylandville. The contractor demolished the existing bridge in order to build a new bridge in its place.