Commissioner Colby Shawn

08/09/2026

Paradise/Cottondale Road Closure

Please plan accordingly. County Road 3381 will be closed beginning September 17th for bridge construction.

The closure will be just south of the intersection of CR 3381 and CR 3386, in the floodplain.

The existing structure consists of four culverts that are constantly being blocked by debris during flooding. This has become an ongoing maintenance issue and, when the culverts are blocked, water can back up and overtop the roadway, causing erosion and threatening the integrity of the road.

We will be removing the existing culvert system and replacing it with a 50-foot free-span bridge over the creek. This should allow floodwater and debris to pass underneath much more freely and provide a long-term solution at this location.

The road closure is anticipated to last approximately four months. Please plan ahead and use an alternate route during construction.

We appreciate everyone’s patience while we make this much-needed improvement to CR 3381.

06/09/2026

We are in route with heavy equipment. Please stay out of the area so first responders can work to get this under control.

Photo sent in from Corey Horn, from the County Road 3336 wildfire. County road 3336 is CLOSED. Avoid the area.

31/08/2026

IMPORTANT GROUNDWATER UPDATE FOR WESTERN WISE COUNTY

The Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District Board voted unanimously Thursday night to approve new rules aimed at protecting groundwater across the district.

One of the most significant changes for Wise County increases the minimum tract size for a new groundwater well from 2 acres to 5 acres in areas where the aquifer is 60 feet thick or less. The area shown in red on the attached map covers much of western Wise County, including large portions of Precincts 2 and 4. The new tract size requirement will take effect January 1, 2027.

This requirement will apply to property subdivided after December 31, 2026. Property that has already been platted is not automatically changed by this new requirement.

As Wise County continues to grow, groundwater availability has become one of the most important issues facing the western part of our county. Many residents depend entirely on private wells, and development decisions made today can affect neighboring wells and our groundwater supply for generations.

The board also approved changes involving high-volume wells, groundwater studies, well spacing and other groundwater protections.

On July 17, Doug Shaw, General Manager of the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, addressed the Wise County Commissioners Court and explained the proposed rule changes. You can watch his full update to the Court at the link below. Click on Item 16 in the video index to jump directly to that portion of the meeting:

https://wisecountytx.new.swagit.com/videos/394494

I appreciate the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District Board and staff for the time and careful consideration they put into these changes. This is an important step toward balancing continued growth with the need to protect the groundwater that current and future Wise County residents depend on.

You can view the interactive tract-size map and additional information here:

https://uppertrinitygcd.com/maps/

District rules and related documents:

https://uppertrinitygcd.com/rules/

24/08/2026

Road Work Notice – Sunflower Road

Precinct 4 crews will be working on Sunflower Road in the Paradise area tomorrow, Tuesday, August 25. We will begin work after the morning school rush hour to help minimize traffic disruptions.

We will be placing a Chip & Seal overlay beginning in the 500 block of Sunflower Road, where we stopped last year, and working east to the Paradise city limits.

The roadway will be reduced to one lane in the area where crews are working. Traffic will also be temporarily stopped at the three-way stop intersection while we chip and seal through the intersection.

Please use caution, slow down, and watch for workers and heavy equipment in the roadway. We ask for your patience during the temporary closure and will work to get traffic moving again as quickly as possible.

We appreciate everyone’s patience while we work to preserve Sunflower Road.

23/08/2026

Road Work Notice – CR 3470

Precinct 4 crews will be working on CR 3470 in the Paradise area tomorrow, Monday, August 24.

We will be placing a Chip & Seal overlay on approximately two miles of CR 3470, beginning at CR 3355 and working west.

The roadway will be reduced to one lane in the area where crews are working. Please use caution, slow down, and watch for workers and heavy equipment in the roadway.

We appreciate everyone’s patience while we work to preserve CR 3470.

21/08/2026

Proud to see the Criminal Interdiction Unit and the Wise County Sheriff’s Office recognized on a national level. Three national awards is an incredible accomplishment and very well deserved. Congratulations to the entire team!

12/08/2026

ROAD WORK NOTICE – FRESH OIL / 5 MPH

Precinct 4 crews will be applying primer oil to County Roads 3620, 3621, 3821, 3823, 3825 and 3828 beginning Thursday, August 13, and continuing Monday, August 17. This is the Willow Point and Balsora area.

⚠️ PLEASE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE POSTED 5 MPH SPEED LIMIT.

Signs will be in place warning motorists of FRESH OIL and a STRICT 5 MPH SPEED LIMIT. This oil will remain wet for approximately 48 hours after application.

It is extremely important that you slow down to 5 MPH when traveling across these roads. Driving faster than the posted speed can cause the oil to sling onto your vehicle. The 5 MPH speed limit is there not only for the safety of our crews, but also to greatly reduce the chance of oil getting on your vehicle.

Precinct 4 will not be responsible for cleaning oil from vehicles that travel through the work area, so please SLOW DOWN and obey the posted 5 MPH speed limit.

Once the primer oil has had time to properly cure, we will begin Chip & Seal operations next week on these roads.

We appreciate everyone's patience over the last few months as we have worked to completely rebuild these roadways. We are getting close to the finish line, and this is one of the final steps before the new driving surface is completed.

Please help us by slowing down, giving our crews room to work, and following the posted signs.