Two miles of roadway and bridges approaching the main span unit from Arkansas and Mississippi are under construction. While the main span superstructure exhibits long spans supported by a system of cable stays, the approaches feature significant bridge work of shorter spans and a conventional “slab on beam” structural support system. Both approach bridges are made up primarily of a series of three span units with the individual spans in these units being approximately 120 feet long.

October 2005: Work along the Mississippi approach to the bridge.

Arkansas Approach in September 2008.

Mississippi Approach in the summer of 2007.

Arkansas Approach in high water – Spring 2008.

• Construction on the Mississippi approach began in April 2005 and is essentially complete today.
• Work on the Arkansas approach began in March 2006, with completion anticipated in the summer of 2009.
• A final future construction contract expected to be let in the summer of 2009 will tie the new bridge into US Highway 82 on both sides of the Mississippi River.

It is anticipated all work will be complete and the new bridge open to traffic in late 2009.