BENTONVILLE -- Benton County officials agreed Thursday to expedite work meant to keep the historic War Eagle Bridge open.
The Transportation Committee voted to recommend having the design work on the bridge done in seven months, instead of the 12 months proposed. The cost of the design would increase from $77,370 to $90,000.
War Eagle Bridge
Benton County officials are considering ways to preserve War Eagle Bridge, built in 1907. The county spent more than $640,000 on repair in 2010, but inspection reports from the Highway Department in 2013 identified several critical deficiencies and a number of structural problems. The county has reduced the bridge’s posted weight limit to 3 tons while it considers other preservation options.
Source: Staff report
County Judge Bob Clinard said he believes the company hired to do the work, Great River Engineering of Springfield, Mo., can increase the pace of the project without sacrificing the quality of the work. He said the timing of the annual springs craft fair in the area was one factor.
Clinard said Great River agreed it can do the design work in about seven months and he estimated construction will take another seven or eight months. The proposal will be sent on to the Finance Committee for discussion and could be approved by the Quorum Court in February.
"If we get it in seven months, that's September," Clinard said. "I think we can get most or all of it done before their event in May."
The justices of the peace heard Clinard give a summary of the initial report from Great River Engineering.
The report showed three options for the bridge work with differing amounts of repair in each. Option A had a cost of $711,837. Clinard said the option would have the bridge open with a weight load limit of 7 or 8 tons. Option B had a $870,813 price tag and Clinard said additional work could increase the weight limit to 10 tons. Option C, the full plan for repair, carried a $1.01 million cost and Clinard said that could boost the weight limit to as much as 15 tons.
Clinard said the county can have the project bid out so companies will give a price on each of the three options.
Clinard said some costs, such as painting the bridge, weren't included in the initial report's estimates but will be included in the bid. He also said the county has been approved for a $500,000 grant to help offset some of the cost.
"We will be pursuing those grants," he said.
The county advertised nationally last year for engineering firms with expertise in similar bridge projects. Great River Engineering was selected from the three responses. The firm was asked to work with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department to determine an acceptable weight limit and develop plans for repair and cost. The first phase of work, which produced the initial report, cost $35,000.
Also Thursday, the justices of the peace heard a report on road plans for 2016 and 2017. Jeff Clark, who over sees the Road Department, said the plans for both years call for about 50 miles of paving work.
Clark also told the committee the county has done temporary repairs on all roads damaged in the recent flooding and continues to work with state and federal agencies on cost estimates that could lead to the county being reimbursed for up to 87.5 percent of the cost of doing permanent repairs.
Clark said Arkansas has issued a disaster declaration for the flooding and the state damage estimate should also exceed the amount needed to qualify for federal assistance. Clark said Benton County's estimate stands at about $1.9 million for the unincorporated areas of the county. Statewide, he said the cost of damage repair has to exceed $4.2 million to receive federal assistance.
NW News on 01/22/2016