The Fincher Lane Bridge is one of the lesser known but historic bridges of Travis County. This bridge served as the first road for FM 973 throughout much of the 20th century. Fincher Lane Bridge was also known as Fincher Road Bridge. This news article will explain what happened to the Fincher Lane Bridge.
Fincher Lane Bridge was built sometime during the 1930s as a small concrete bridge serving as a low water ford. Exactly when is unknown however. Fincher Lane Bridge was a small bridge on a rural road next to what was Bergstrom Air Force Base and is now Austin Bergstrom International Airport. Fincher Lane Bridge was built with public funds with the role that government played in the life of the community. The low water ford on Onion Creek was well known to southeast Travis County residents and a natural location for a community to form due to the volume of traffic across the creek. (Ref: https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/8bd4eb28-fafe-4ed8-8c5a-c0b07e883c88)
Runoff from recent rains washed away an eight-inch water main under Onion Creek near the low-water bridge on Old FM 973 late Wednesday, June 3, 1981. The bridge was partially damaged and deteriorating due to age. About 700 residents of southeastern Travis County community of Elroy were without water for nearly 18 hours Thursday after a water main running under Onion Creek broke at the Fincher Lane Bridge. City and county employees spent most of Thursday bulldozing debris away from the mud-covered bridge and laying a temporary pipe to bypass the broken main. While repairs were in progress, residents and businesses along FM 973 and in Elroy made do without water. Water service was restored by 4 PM on Monday. (Ref: Austin American-Statesman, Friday, June 5, 1981)
Austin American-Statesman reported in 1992 about putting flood-related emergency road repairs at a cost of $960,000 dollars. $2,150,000 was needed to repair weakened roads, replace damaged bridges, and complete erosion and drainage work. About a 1/3rd of that money was spent in Precinct 4. The road repair costs did not include the rebuilding of the Fincher Lane Bridge, between FM 973 and Onion Creek, for as the City of Austin was paying for repairs to the road, which collapsed because fill material over a city waterline was washed away. (Ref: Austin American-Statesman, Thursday, January 2, 1992)
[Rickard said engineers are waiting for flood waters to recede before preparing a final damage estimate to county roads. A preliminary countywide estimate last week put flood-related emergency road repairs at $960,000, Rickard said. That figure is for potholes and other immediate repairs, he said. Rickard said $2,150,000 is needed to repair weakened roads, replace damaged bridges, and complete erosion and drainage work. About a third of that money will be spent in Precinct 4, he said. The road repair costs do not include the rebuilding of Fincher Road, between FM 973 and Onion Creek. He said the city is paying for repairs to the road, which collapsed because fill material over a city waterline was washed away. De Leon said county officials are giving first priority in assistance to the inhabitants of an estimated 130 homes in Precinct 4 that were damaged by flood waters from the Colorado River, Onion Creek, Dry Creek and Timber Creek. De Leon said his office is asking residents of damaged homes to send him copies of photographs that will be submitted to state and federal officials along with applications for flood control projects.]
Road service to Fincher Lane Bridge was disconnected in 1995 when the City of Austin was purchasing out residential properties from homeowners who lived what would become now known as the Austin Bergstrom International Airport. Fincher Lane Bridge was part of the acquisition even though it was on Travis County owned land. Fincher Lane Bridge was not in the city of Austin but in Del Valle. Sadly Fincher Lane Bridge was washed away in a flood during 2005. All damaged remains of the small concrete bridge were removed by Travis County afterwards.
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