High water forces closure of second Red River bridge

This Arkansas Department of Highways and Transportation map shows two closed highways — U.S. 71 and Arkansas 41 — because of high water.
This Arkansas Department of Highways and Transportation map shows two closed highways — U.S. 71 and Arkansas 41 — because of high water.

A second bridge across the Red River between Arkansas and Texas has closed because of high water, the Arkansas Department of Highway and Transportation said Friday.

At 11 a.m., the northbound and southbound lanes of U.S. 71 in Little River County between the Arkansas welcome center and Arkansas 380 at Ogden were closed, a total distance of 2.47 miles, the agency said.

A stretch of Arkansas 41 crossing the Red River west of U.S. 71 closed because of high water Thursday and remained shut Friday.

A detour from that closure had sent motorists along U.S. 71. A new detour, pictured in the map above, sends motorists through Hope and then west on Interstate 30 back into Texarkana.

The Highway Department said the closed roads would remain shut until the water recedes and officials have had a chance to assess damage to the bridges.

Forecasters, meanwhile, said additional rainfall is expected. A flash flood watch covers a large swath of the state, including southwest Arkansas.

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