Commissioners approve Angelina County culvert policy change effective April 1

ANGELINA COUNTY, Texas (KTRE) - As more people move into Angelina County, the county has to keep up with infrastructure and maintenance of roads.

Angelina County road Administrator James McMullen told commissioners at Tuesday’s meeting that the Road and Bridge Department has had a high call volume of new culvert installations due to the county’s growing population and new property developments.

“We need to narrow of a focus to focus on mainly on repairing and building roads and drainage,” McMullen told commissioners.

The change will require individuals to install or change out their own culverts, costing an average of $400-$600 said McMullen.

Currently when homeowners call to request a culvert installation or repair, they are already responsible for purchasing their own culvert.

County Judge Keith Wright said the county already has funds in place to begin road work but by continuing scheduling installation dates, he said, “it’s going to be hard for us to even spend the money we have on the roads that need improvement.”

McMullen said in the meeting that road and bridge will still revise the site to provide the correct measurements and set stakes for whoever installs the culverts. The homeowner will now pay a $25 fee for a permit. After the installation is done, the county will go through an inspection.

As for current homeowners, McMullen said they will be grandfathered in.

“That way, people that already have culverts that have maybe collapsed or rusted out and such, we’re going to continue to take care of them for the next five years.”

The vote was unanimous and will go into effect on April 1.

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