Freestone county-maintained roads and bridges sustained an estimated $1.5 million in damage during heavy rains the first of May.

County commissioners compiled the estimates last week and will submit figures for possible state and federal disaster relief.

Highest category of damage is $445,000 for unpaved roads throughout the county system and commissioners estimate that destroyed bridges runs about $325,000.

The rains, which fell the first week in May, ranged up to 12 inches, the heaviest unofficial totals coming from the western part of Freestone county.

Precinct four, which includes Wortham and Streetman, sustained the most damage from the rains with eight bridges reported destroyed or damaged.

Other damage estimates on county roads includes: paved roads, $250,000; damaged but servicagle bridges, $185,000; culverts washed away, $100,000 culverts damaged but still in place, $100,000; bridges closed and repairable, $25,000; and debris clean-up, $64,500.

In a special meeting last week, commissioners authorized County Judge Linda Grant to send a letter to National Resource Conservation Service, asking for a survey of county road damage.

The NRCS would not fund bridge repairs, but could provide materials to be used to prevent future road and bridge damages.

The county also is checking to see if state or federal matching funds are available for storm related repairs.

An emergency contract was let last week by Texas Department of Transportation to Ajax Equipment Company of Lufkin to repair two bridges over Tehuacana Creek in Fairfield, on Texas 75 and I-45.

The emergency contract is for $69,345.

Rains destroyed bridge joints on the Texas 75 structure and on the east lane of northbound traffic at a bridge on I-45.

Texas 75 was reopened to traffic Friday and repairs to I-45 are to be completed this week.