‘America’s Bridge’ gets panel’s salute

The Arkansas Highway Commission on Wednesday endorsed Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines’ proposal to dub the new Broadway Bridge “America’s Bridge.”

The commission’s backing expressly comes with no money, but Villines told the five commissioners that he planned to raise private funds for the enhancements he envisions in making the bridge “dedicated to those who fought for freedom and worked for peace.”

He estimated the total cost at $2 million.

The enhancements are to include flagpoles to fly the Arkansas flag on the bridge’s west side between its two basket-handle arches, and aU.S. flag and POW/MIA flag on the east side.

The 16-foot pedestrian/ bicycle path on the east side of the bridge will do double duty as a “walk of honor” with displays on its pedestals and railing that include:

Recognition of each branch of the nation’s armed forces, including reserves and national guard.

Acknowledgment of all the nation’s wars.

Recognition of recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor.

Recognition of U.S. citizens who have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Eventually, LED lights also are to grace the bridge.

“This really will be a story,” Villines told the commission. “It’s not just about the past. It builds on the past, present and future.”

Since late last year, the longtime county judge has been championing a way for the bridge to honor veterans, in part because the bridge it will replace was dedicated to World War I veterans when it opened in 1923 and in part to generate tourism revenue.

He noted that 570,000 people have used the relatively new Two Rivers Bridge, a pedestrian and bicycle crossing over the Maumelle River.

“People want these kinds of things,” he said.

Villines dropped an aspect of the proposal that called for the bridge to be painted red, white and blue, which some found tacky but which he said would cost too much to maintain.

The county judge came up with the patriotic color scheme after he committed $20 million in county money spread over several years to the bridge project to incorporate two basket-handle arches into the design instead of just one.

The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department has insisted that entities other than itself cover any cost above what it deems to be a safe, efficient and functional replacement for the 90-yearold bridge that it said is becoming increasingly too costly to maintain. The department put the cost of the basic bridge at $58 million.

The bridge is under design now, and a contract for the project is expected to be awarded at the end of this year or early next year, an agency spokesman said.

In the presentation to the commission, via a series of PowerPoint slides and a short video, Villines showed the latest rendition of his vision for the bridge. It would be painted white or gray.

No decision on a color has been made, according to an Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department spokesman.

Villines has been working with the department and its project consultant, North Little Rock engineering firm Garver LLC, on the proposal, which he said won’t involve any changes to the agreed-upon bridge design.

He expects the enhancements to be phased in over time as money is raised. The most likely first phase will be painting the concrete on the walkway to delineate the times when America has been at war and at peace, he said. Villines estimated the cost of that painting at $300,000.

The banners, stars and other extras intended to detail the armed forces, the wars, Medal of Honor recipients and Nobel Peace Prize laureates could cost another $300,000, he said. Villines said about $1.5 million would need to be raised to put LED lighting on the bridge.

He plans to open an account for “America’s Bridge” at the Arkansas Community Foundation, which will allow tax-deductible contributions to be made for the bridge.

Individual commissioners praised Villines’ proposal, with at least two calling it “visionary.”

Tom Schueck of Little Rock asked if the new bridge came in under cost, could the Highway Department devote the unused money to Villines’ proposed enhancements. Scott Bennett, the department director, said that wasn’t possible.

In response to a question from Commissioner Robert Moore of Arkansas City, Bennett said he had two concerns about Villines’ proposal.

One was centered on maintaining the enhancements, which will be the burden of the county or other local entity. “What’s going to be done to keep it nice-looking and attractive?”

The other was people congregating on the shared-use path to look at the enhancements, which Bennett said would take away “from the effective use of the path,” especially for bicyclists.

In response, Villines said he hoped that the sale of some bridge memorabilia would support maintenance of the bridge. As for crowds, the judge said he didn’t expect that to happen very often and if it did, bicyclists could use another bridge or the roadway.