Arkadelphia Bridge

Drove across the new bridge yesterday. The old bridge is still in place (05/10/2020). It has barracades on both ends and is just sitting there.

The new bridge kills two birds with the one stone. It crosses the river AND it crosses the railroad. The railroad is elevated for quite a while on the southern (eastern) bank of the river. The road used to cross the river then turn to pass under a fairly low railroad underpass.

While the old truss bridge needed replaced, it is still sitting for generations to see. Wish I had gotten some pictures, but it was too dark to get good ones.

This is more of a wistful comment.....I went to Henderson State there in Arkadelphia from 1980 with a graduation in 1983. There was nothing sweeter than crossing that bridge and getting back to Arkadelphia after a weekend away and I know I speak for generations of Reddies who feel the same sentiment. So so glad we stopped and crossed this bridge 2 years ago. I know time marches on and it's super old and super narrow but it would be so nice if it could be preserved in place. Love bridgehunter and have learned so much!

Click the link to see the latest update on this bridge damage and closure.

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/jun/28/damage-arkans...

The replacement bridge is well underway. I would guess this one will be lost in 2016 or 2017.

We were driving through Arkansas, and had to stop and take a picture of this. It kind of hit home because we are losing a K-truss bridge from where we are from - Alexandria, LA - the OK Allen bridge over the Red River.

I have not been involved with Arkansas so I don't know much about how things play out here. Because mitigation is being discussed, it sounds like Section 106 was triggered for this project. It is my observation that there is nothing wrong with this bridge. Look at the NBI ratings, the bridge is in great shape. If it was too narrow for this location, I would have expected to see a Section 106 alternative that built a new one-lane bridge and formed a one-way couplet. I would also expect to see an alternative that left the historic bridge standing for pedestrian use next to its replacement, which would likely be a zero cost alternative since the bridge is in such good condition and carrying traffic, no repair work would be needed to strengthen it for pedestrians.

I will see if I can get a Determination of Effect Report to review the project.

Thank you for replying Mr. Scoggins. That is sad news indeed and not what I was wanting to hear at all. Do you have any idea what the time-line for replacement is ? I realize you can't give an exact date for new construction start or demolition of the existing bridge but I was hoping for a ball park figure. I would like to know how much time I have to get back and take more photos. Also will the builders plaques be saved and where will they be displayed if so. The county museum in the old depot has one of the plates from the 1903 bridge. This would seem to be the logical final resting place to me. Thank you again for taking time to reply.

We marketing the bridge to the County Judge, City of Arkadelphia, Corp of Engineers, State Parks and the County Historic Society, but unfortunetly noone wanted it. As mitigation for its demolition we will photograph it, write a detailed history, create a historic marker and then laser scan it so we can create a 3D model to put on our website.

Hopefully they push for reuse as I prsonally like the way this bridge looks.

No timeline given. Looks like the plan is for a new bridge on a new alignment

More info here:

http://arkansashighways.com/public_meetings/2011/070240/0702...

I was born in Arkadelphia , grew up fifteen miles away and love this bridge. This bridge and the 1899 Courthouse is Arkadelphia to me ! Reading that it is going to be replaced makes me sick to my stomach. Robert Scoggins if you are reading this please give us some more information. What is the time line and any chance of the bridge being preserved in place , relocated anything ?!

Well of course...because the sufficiency rations are SO low (kidding), and the bridge is in SUCH terrible shape (yeah right!). This makes ALL the sense in the world to me!

AHTD announced on 1 December 2011 that this bridge is scheduled to be replaced, but no timeline has been given.

Thanks for the info on my Flickr photo regarding the Arkadelphia Bridge... The dates and the relocation info were very interesting...

Visited this bridge at 3:15 pm on 18 Nov. 2006. Good photos can be taken from the downriver city park on the west bank and from the west approach. I noticed that some of the overhead spreaders have some deformation as if struck by a high clearance vehicle. The railroad bridge is visible about 200 yards downstream.

Webmaster's note: The photos that were here have been incorporated into the main site.

Too bad to not be able to reach the bridge when the river is over the road. My cousin could possibly still be living if her husband would have been able to cross it on the morning of January 15,2007. She died on the way of detour of a heart attack.

The first time I crossed this bridge was in April, 1979. My church group here in El Dorado were on the way to Hot Springs to Magic Springs. Our Youth Director stopped in Arkadelphia to pick up a friend, who was a student at OBU. I have been fascinated by the bridge. I went to college at Henderson and I use to walk down to the bridge admiring it. I even walked acrossed it. It was pure bravery and bold. I hope that this bridge will continue to serve motorists for many years. I wish that I could have seen the old bridge before it. Anyway Arkadelphia is a clean cut town, with moral values.

This bridge is my homeboy