Broadway Bridge (Little Rock)

The Broadway Bridge is an arch bridge that spans the Arkansas River connecting the cities of Little Rock, Arkansas and North Little Rock, Arkansas. It carries U.S. Route 70 (US 70). The current bridge opened to traffic in March 2017.[1] The original bridge was demolished in 2016. It was also an arch bridge and it opened in 1923.[2]

Broadway Bridge
Coordinates34°45′08″N 92°16′27″W
Carries4 lanes of US 70
CrossesArkansas River
LocaleLittle Rock, Arkansas
Maintained byArkansas State Highway and Transportation Department
Characteristics
DesignArch bridge
Longest span450 feet
History
Construction end1923 (Original bridge)
2017 (Replacement bridge)
Statistics
Daily traffic24,000
TollFree
Location

Current bridge

The need to replace or rehabilitate the original bridge was identified in 2010 as the structure was determined to be structurally deficient. Community desires were for a replacement bridge that included pedestrian/bicycle facilities, accommodations for a future streetcar line and an iconic design.[3] In April 2011, the engineering firms Garver LLC and HNTB were selected to design a new bridge.[4] The contractor is Massman Construction Company, who won the contract with a bid of $98.4 million.[5]

The selected design includes two 450-foot spans incorporating basket handle arches. Each arch is estimated to weigh 2,000 tons.[6]

The new bridge was opened to the public on March 1, 2017.[1]

Original bridge
Original Broadway Bridge in 2015 prior to demolition

The original bridge began construction in 1921 and opened on March 14, 1923.[7] An estimated 50,000 people attended the grand opening events.[8]

The original five-span structure was 2,783 feet long and 40 feet wide and provided 24.3 feet of vertical clearance.[7] The original structure was an open-spandrel, deck arch bridge made of concrete and built by the Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company.[3] The bridge was developed by the Broadway-Main Street Bridge District of Pulaski County, a commission created by state legislature for the purpose of constructing bridges across the Arkansas River at Broadway and at Main Street.[9] In 1974, two spans were removed and replaced with a single through arch span to achieve the required opening for the McClellan–Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.[7]

The bridge closed on September 28, 2016 for demolition of the truss span and construction of the replacement.[2] The 1974 steel arch span was demolished on October 11, 2016. After explosives were detonated, the span remained standing until it was pulled down by tugboats five hours later.[10][11] Two of three concrete arches from the original portion of the bridge were demolished on October 15, 2016, while the third arch remained standing.[12]

See also

References
  1. "New Broadway Bridge opens to traffic". Arkansas Online. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  2. "Closing looms for Little Rock-North Little Rock Broadway Bridge". swtimes.com. Southwest Times Record. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
  3. "Environmental Assessment, ATHD Job Number 061275" (PDF). ArkansasHighways.com. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. August 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  4. Oman, Neil (April 14, 2011). "Firm picked to design new Broadway Bridge". ArkansasOnline.com. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  5. Brantley, Max (September 19, 2014). "Highway Department accepts low bid on Broadway Bridge replacement". arktimes.com. Arkansas Times. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  6. Oman, Neil (December 15, 2015). "Broadway Bridge project enters new phase: Barges positioned to build, later install span's steel arches". ArkansasOnline.com. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  7. "Broadway Bridge". ArkansasHighways.com. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  8. Sandlin, Jake (June 21, 2015). "Broadway Bridge's past on display, NLR exhibit showcases fanfare of span's 1923 opening". nwaonline.com. Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  9. "Commissioners of Broadway-Main Street Bridge District v. Quapaw Club". opinions.aoc.arkansas.gov. State of Arkansas. October 11, 1920. Archived from the original on October 1, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  10. Chaffin, Sarah (2016-10-11). "Arkansas bridge finally falls 5 hours after failed implosion". KATV. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  11. "VIDEO: Nearly 5 hours later, tugs pull down Broadway Bridge arch". Arkansas Online. 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  12. "WATCH: Explosion sends 2 of 3 Broadway Bridge concrete arches into river". Arkansas Online. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
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