Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department
PO Box 2261
Little Rock, Arkansas 72203
Dear Sirs:
Please register my comments below concerning the replacement of the current Broadway Bridge over the Arkansas River connecting Little Rock and North Little Rock.
As mayor of the Capital City, I believe it is important to recognize that a new bridge in its current location will long outlast nearly everyone alive today. This is why the bridge should be a lasting vision of the future of central Arkansas in both function and form. The proposals submitted to the public provide several alternatives which, while perhaps functional, sacrifice the long term vision of a bridge which brings together the major commerce centers in central Arkansas. In fact, 34% of the state’s GDP comes from the Little Rock-North Little Rock metropolitan area. This justifies a collaborative effort between the AHTD and local authorities on finding the funding necessary to realize the long term vision which the bridge should reflect in both function and form as proposed by myself, Pulaski County Judge F.G. Villines and Mayor Pat Hays. Together we have collectively authored a letter that expresses our desire on how to realize that vision in both function and form with a twin arch truss bridge over the Arkansas River. We also urge that the bridge be built with a 20 foot pedestrian/bicycle way recognizing the increased demand for these alternate forms of transportation.
From the renderings AHTD provided, I cannot agree to any form of a bridge constructed to the west of the existing bridge which would require that the bridge snake back into the existing Broadway Bridge R-O-W. This “snake bridge” would require a steep angle curvature as it descends down into the existing R-O-W for alignment raising additional and unnecessary safety concerns as the span descends quickly toward its intersection with Markham St. It also lacks any aesthetic qualities and compromises the city’s use of its own property and air rights.
It is our understanding that the twin arch truss bridge components can be constructed off site and moved into place when complete which will help in reducing the time the bridge will be unavailable to the traveling public. I would urge the AHTD to expedite construction and thereby minimize any delay. The new bridge envisioned by our recommendation in the same location as the old one should not be compromised by the relatively short term inconvenience caused by closing the current bridge for construction. Thank you.
Most sincerely,
Mark Stodola
Mayor
City of Little Rock