Parks Street Bridge Redesign On Hold

Project Should Take About Six Weeks To Complete, Barnes Says

PRAIRIE GROVE — It’s been almost two years since the Parks Street bridge in Prairie Grove was damaged by spring floods and the city of Prairie Grove is still waiting for plans to be finalized and approved.

McClelland Engineers of Fayetteville has the contract to design a new bridge but is waiting to receive the OK from the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department and the Federal Highway Administration before proceeding, according to Daniel Barnes, president of McClelland.

Barnes estimates the project will cost $230,000. Workers will remove the existing bridge deck and abutments, build new abutments and then install a precast bridge deck. The project is being funded 80 percent with federal money and 20 percent city funds.

Prairie Grove city officials had “definitely” thought the bridge would have been replaced by now, said Larry Oelrich, director of public works and administrative services.

“We’ve been concerned about the length of time it’s taken,” Oelrich said.

This time last year, Oelrich said highway department officials indicated they thought bids would go out in the summer and the project finished in time for the 2012-13 school year.

“And I’m wondering if it will happen this year,” Oelrich said.

Danny Straessle, assistant public affairs officer for the highway department, said bridge and highway construction requires a lot of planning.

“There is no quick way to design a highway or design a bridge,” he said. “A lot of things go on behind the scenes before people will see dirt moving.”

Straessle said the state and federal agencies are in the process of reviewing environmental documents for the project. The environmental review is the “first hurdle to clear,” and then the design review will be next, Straessle said. He did not know how long it would take to finish all the reviews.

As part of the environmental review, the Federal Highway Administration has submitted a

letter to the Osage and Caddo Native American tribes to give those groups an opportunity to make comments. The tribal consultation letters were sent Jan. 30 and the tribes had 30 days to respond.

Straessle said the government is “very cognizant” of the impact construction can have on historical sites.

The letters to the tribes are an opportunity for the tribes to indicate if the construction project would impact historical burial grounds in the area.

After final approval is received, the next step will be to advertise and bid the project, Barnes said, adding it should take about six weeks to complete the job.