Elkins Residents See Bridge Plans

— Several Elkins residents said Thursday they want to see continued improvement to Arkansas 16, also known as Huntsville Road, in Fayetteville.

The road is notorious for heavy traffic during rush hours and long delays when there’s a wreck. Plans call for widening the road to four lanes between Fayetteville and Elkins.

“Anything to keep the traffic moving,” said Herb Disney, who has been driving the stretch for the last 63 years. “As far as I’m concerned, we need it four lanes. The further the better.”

The comments came at an Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department public input session in Elkins to get feedback on the proposed replacement of an aging two-lane bridge over the Middle Fork of the White River where it enters Lake Seqouyah.

The plan is to replace the two-lane bridge with a four-lane structure that will include sidewalks and bike lanes. The approaches on either end will also be four-lanes wide but initially, everything will be marked as if it is two. The highway department has no time frame for the project yet.

Much of the land on either end and alongside the bridge belongs to Fayetteville and is part of Lake Seqouyah Park. The city will likely tie its trail system to the bridge.

Another bridge, closer to Fayetteville on Arkansas 16 and spanning the West Fork of the White River, is scheduled for replacement the middle of next year. It will also be built as a four-lane with sidewalks and bike lanes.

The two bridges were originally one project.

James Barker of Elkins said he likes the plan. Barker didn’t care for earlier proposals to build another two-lane bridge over the Middle Fork.

“I was a little concerned about them building a two-lane bridge when they know they’re going to need a four-lane someday,” Barker said, while looking at plans. “That’s preparing for the future right there.”

Disney, who remembers a single-lane, steel-truss bridge the existing bridge replaced, also likes the highway department’s approach.

“Get the bridges out of the way first,” Disney said. “That’s the time-consuming, money-consuming job.”

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