Officials in Franklin County shut down their side of the Silver Bridge on Saturday evening because of floodwaters, dispatchers said.
Officials closed the part of the bridge that crosses the line between Crawford and Franklin counties on White Valley Road at 6:29 p.m. Saturday, the dispatchers said Saturday night, then alerted Crawford County authorities.
A dispatcher with Crawford County said he had forwarded the message to the Road Department, but he didn’t know if the voice message had been received early Saturday night nor whether Crawford County’s side of the bridge had been shut.
Within the past few days, the two counties have received more rain than is typical for August. Saturday morning, a number of Northwest Arkansas counties were under flash flood warnings and watches.
Early Saturday night, the National Weather Service forecast that part of northern Franklin County, near Cass, had a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms and a 30 percent chance today. Thunderstorm chances continue, ranging from 20 percent tonight, 60 percent by Monday night and 50 percent Tuesday.
Arkansas, Pages 14 on 08/11/2013