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Clinton Library Bridge Project Remains in Plan

6 min read

The western end of the 14.2-mile River Trail has been carrying pedestrians and cyclists over the Arkansas River for more than a year, but its eastern counterpart is still in flux.

When converted, the Rock Island Bridge will complete the eastern loop of the paved trail, giving users an integrated and easily accessible route to traverse the Arkansas River from downtown North Little Rock and Little Rock. Renovating the bridge for foot and bike traffic was part of the original vision for the Clinton Presidential Library, which opened in 2004, and officials say completing the project is still a top priority.

But funding delays and rising material costs have slowed the project, and officials are hesitant to put a time frame on when it might be completed.

"We are moving forward with the project, and we have dedicated a lot of time and effort to making this a reality," said Jordan Johnson, a spokesman for the Clinton Foundation. "The importance of the bridge in terms of River Trail usage, economic development and tourism purposes is clear, and we are proceeding with finalizing the best possible plan from both a design and cost standpoint."

Renovation of the Rock Island Bridge, which was built by the Memphis & Choctaw Railroad in 1899, was originally expected to cost about $5 million, but estimates have now risen to between $10 million and $13 million. The Clinton Foundation will put up $4 million, while the city of Little Rock is standing by its original commitment of an additional $1 million. That still leaves funding to be found for more than half the total cost.

Johnson said he’s optimistic the remaining money can be secured through federal grants and further fundraising efforts. He said Clinton Library officials met a year ago with a group that was working on a similar project in Pittsburgh, and learning of its price tag was an "awakening."

"No doubt we originally didn’t expect it to cost that much," Johnson said. "But the price of steel is the main cost factor, along with other aspects we wanted to include to ensure we were going to get it right and have a structure everyone can be proud of."

NLR Stands Ready

North Little Rock city officials, meanwhile, are ahead of the game. Mayor Patrick Hays said the bridge’s landing on his side of the river is already being prepared, mainly because of new Federal Emergency Management Agency maps and flood plain initiatives.

"We have a very high level of confidence that construction on that bridge will begin in the next year or two and have been doing our part," Hays said. "That’s prime riverfront property, and we’re ready to have another entrance into our great city."

Hays said the City Council will consider Monday night a plan to make available the space between the foot of the Rock Island Bridge and the Interstate 40 bridge for an "entertainment-slash-RV park." He said the space would be available to visitors with recreational vehicles most of the time, but would also be open to concerts and special events. The city would also build a pavilion and perhaps even a playground, Hays said.

More than seven miles upstream near the I-430 bridge, the $12.5 million Big Dam Bridge, which opened in September 2006, has been serving the western edge of the River Trail loop with much fanfare.

Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines, credited with championing the Big Dam Bridge project, said a recent estimate put bridge traffic at as much as 4,000 visitors on a busy day. He says the Rock Island Bridge is a key component of the River Trail and could expect even greater traffic because of its proximity to the Clinton Library and other downtown attractions.

"There’s no question it’s an integral part of the overall vision, and the quicker it gets done, the better off we’ll be," Villines said. "My understanding is that they are close to getting a plan going, and I think everyone will be excited to have that completed."

Junction Function

With the western edge of the trail anchored by the Big Dam Bridge and the eastern edge in the works, one more former railroad bridge in between is undergoing a transformation.

Work on making the Junction Bridge, under the guidance of the Pulaski County Bridge Public Facilities Board, into a pedestrian bridge is expected to be completed by May. (For more on progress there, click here.)

Although the $4.8 million project will connect pedestrians and cyclists with both sides of the river, it differs from the aim of the Rock Island Bridge in that it won’t be a flowing continuation of the River Trail.

"Because of the lift span that needs to be permanently raised for river traffic, the design includes elevators for users to connect the two levels on each side," said Billie Ann Myers, chairman of the Bridge Facilities Board.

Johnson said a final design has not yet been decided on for the Rock Island Bridge, but he is certain that it will include a plan to allow a seamless flow of traffic without the use of stairs or an elevator.

"That’s another reason the cost would be higher," he said.

An Eye-Opener

When Clinton Foundation officials met with a group redeveloping a former train bridge in Pittsburgh in November 2006, developers of the Rock Island Bridge project gained needed perspective.

"Converting these old train bridges into a modern pedestrian crossing is a unique animal in that it hasn’t been done very much," Johnson said. "The bridge in Pittsburgh is similar to the Rock Island Bridge in a lot of ways, and it was eye-opening to see what all went into their process and how much it ended up costing them."

The Clinton Foundation has spent several hundred thousand dollars since in feasibility and design studies, and is now focused on finalizing a plan and raising the additional funds.

In Pittsburgh, the $10 million Hot Metal Bridge for bikers and pedestrians will have a ribbon-cutting Wednesday. The Pittsburgh bridge, which formerly was used to shuttle molten iron and materials between steel plants on both sides of the Monongahela River there, is a key piece of that city’s Three Rivers Heritage Trail and the Eliza Furnace Trail.

"The similarities in terms of being an important link to an ongoing and expanding trail system was another thing we had in common," Johnson said. "The feedback and advice we’ve gotten from them has been immeasurable."

Build It and They’ll Come

Villines said an accurate price tag can’t be attached to the economic benefits of completing the Rock Island Bridge and subsequently the entire River Trail loop.

The Big Dam Bridge alone further branded itself with an annual 100-mile bike race that had a surprising 1,200 participants in its inaugural race on opening weekend in 2006. This year, the "Big Dam 100" attracted more than 1,500, he said.

"And a good portion of those folks come to town from other parts of the state and other parts of the country," Villines said. "Once we get the entire loop finished out, more opportunities will come, and more visitors will come."

Bruce Moore, Little Rock city manager, said the delay in renovating the Rock Island Bridge hasn’t affected the city’s $1 million pledge. The money, said Moore, was a part of a parks and recreation bond issue in 1998.

"The city actually owns the bridge, and we have been working very closely with the Clinton Foundation in getting this done," he said. "This is just another component to our downtown revitalization that we’ve made a commitment to getting accomplished. The library alone has proven to be worth every cent of investment, and I see the bridge as being that same kind of investment."

Johnson was hesitant to put a time frame on the project, but said renovation of the Rock Island Bridge is as big a priority now as it has been.

"We’re moving forward more quickly than ever before and hope to have a clearer overall picture very soon," he said.

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