On the banks of the White River in Clarendon stands the rusting frame of the abandoned Old White River Bridge. Traffic flow on U.S. 79 is now routed over the new bridge, just downstream of where the old bridge and elevated highway stand unused and un-maintained.
The idea to preserve the old bridge and elevated highway and develop it as a walking and biking trail has recently been put forth by Friends of the White River Bridge and the mayor of Clarendon, who feel that it has potential to provide revenue and boost tourism in the Delta area. Previous use has been devoted largely to hunting and fishing.
I lived at Roe for 15 years and have made many, many trips over the old bridge and elevated highway to Clarendon while enjoying the beauty of the woods and river below it, so I understand the fondness that longtime residents of Clarendon have for the old bridge and their desire to find a way to preserve it and use it to generate revenue and increase tourism. A proposed biking trail connecting Memphis to Little Rock incorporating these structures has been suggested and in theory sounds very promising, but I believe there are many difficult obstacles to overcome to make this dream a reality.
To balance things out, I also believe it is equally important that the citizens of Clarendon be fully informed of the legal and financial hurdles concerning the cost to save, refurbish and ultimately maintain the bridge and elevated highway as a tourist attraction.
Before the beginning of construction of the new bridge and elevated roadway, environmental impact and water flow studies were performed. Binding legal agreements for land transfers between the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge and White River National Wildlife Refuge were also signed.
The agreements that were signed, the construction permits that were issued, and even the design of the new bridge all proceeded based on the plan that the old river bridge, the elevated highway west of the river, and the earthen berms and bridges that it sits upon would be removed and the woods restored to their natural condition. Flow studies and the resulting design for how much elevation the new roadway needed are all based on this removal assumption.
If the old roadway is not removed as planned in the studies, it is feared that the new elevated roadway and upstream lands could be more prone to flooding and timber and crop loss. Farming, timber harvest on private lands, and hunting and fishing could all be impacted by the changes in water flow or an increase in flooding.
When the new bridge was designed and permitted, there were binding legal agreements that traded the new right-of-way that was granted for a return of the old roadway to the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is legally bound by these agreements and cannot simply decide to "donate" this additional land that the old highway rests on to the city of Clarendon as the Friends of the Bridge have requested.
To even retain the old dirt berm as is, entirely new engineering and water flow studies would be required to prove that leaving the old roadway in place wouldn't cause increased flooding risk. A legal battle to overturn the permit requirements and other binding agreements that are currently in place would also have to be undertaken.
A major hurdle to retaining the old bridge, now 86 years old, is the immediate need to raise millions of dollars for repairs to ensure its safe restoration for public use. If this bridge and the elevated highway are to be billed as a tourist attraction and used by the public, you can't just post a sign that says "Use at your own risk."
A safety inspection done in 2014 showed many problems that would require extensive repairs. For example, the steel superstructure needs a new coat of paint, but because the old paint is lead-based, removal and recoating is likely to cost more than $1 million. Some of the steel supports are more than 50 percent rusted away, and there is damage to concrete and exposed rebar as well. Several million dollars will be needed when all necessary repairs are considered.
Federal highway costs do not fall on local citizens, but if ownership of these structures transfers to the city of Clarendon as they are requesting, then restoration and future maintenance costs will also transfer. These costs promise to be extensive, given the age and condition of the structures in dispute. Anyone interested in preserving the old bridge really needs to go and read one of the recent inspection reports which can be found on the Arkansas Department of Transportation's website. These reports give a realistic idea of the extensive repairs needed to restore the bridge so it can be safely used.
You may have read or heard from friends that millions of dollars in grants are available to reimburse the city of Clarendon for the cost of repairs. While that is true, the problem with the grant process is that it requires the city to come up with the money first, then be reimbursed later.
The last major financial hurdle is the long-term consideration and risk of maintaining the bridge. Even if you assume that the immediate repairs are covered by grant money, you must ask: How much would it cost the city of Clarendon, a town of fewer than 1,500 people, to own, inspect and maintain these structures for another 20, 30, or 50 years? How much would it cost the city to remove the bridge from the White River navigation channel if it falls due to a barge strike or an earthquake?
If the city is bankrupted by the bridge, it could have to be removed by the refuge with taxpayers' money. Can the city of Clarendon afford the annual insurance costs that would be needed to prevent bankruptcy if that type of failure occurs? Can Clarendon afford the cost for additional police patrols and personnel to pick up the litter along this stretch of roadway? This relatively short section of trail could easily become an albatross that bankrupts the city, or simply fails to attract tourists if it is not maintained and kept clean.
After considering all the above, it is with great sorrow that I have concluded that the dream of what this roadway could be needs to remain just that: a nostalgic dream.
Clarendon sits between two world-class wildlife refuges that are already famous for hunting and fishing. It is ripe to take advantage of the rising public interest in different kinds of outdoor activities such as hiking, paddling water trails, adventuring and mountain biking among the beautiful river bottoms that border and surround it. This bounty of natural beauty that surrounds the town of Clarendon is free to everyone and must be the greater attraction, with or without a bridge.
Mikki White is a member of Friends of the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge, a private organization dedicated to supporting and promote conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, environmental education, and compatible outdoor recreational opportunities at Cache River National Wildlife Refuge.
Editorial on 02/04/2018