story by Ryan Saylor
rsaylor@thecitywire.com
Crawford County residents could have their daily commute detoured for the next year, but the end result will make for an easier commute and could ultimately save lives.
According to Crawford County Director of Emergency Management Dennis Gilstrap, one of two low water bridges on Pevehouse Road on the border between county land and the Van Buren city limits will be replaced using a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant, as well as funding from the county and the city of Van Buren.
Gilstrap said the use of the grant, which will cover 70% of the $1 million cost of the bridge, is unique.
"These grants are normally used to build safe rooms at schools, buy properties back that have flood damage and relocate people out of the flood area. That's normally what these grants have been used for. But in the verbiage of the grant, it says, 'Or other projects to help a flood problem.'"
With the low water crossing at Pevehouse between Mitzi Lane and Sandstone Drive flooding on average 20 times per year and cars occasionally attempting crossings and getting washed off the road despite police closing the crossing during flooding, Gilstrap said it was time to replace the bridge.
"There have been several times the fire department has had to go down there (and rescue motorists)," he said. "For me, it was a matter of time before someone was going to drown on that bridge. For me, $1 million is a lot of money to build the bridge, but you consider what a life is worth. But if that bridge saves one life 10 years from now, it's paid for itself."
Van Buren Mayor Bob Freeman echoed Gilstrap's sentiments on public safety.
"This bridge is a life safety issue that must be addressed and although it will be an inconvenience for the public while under construction, the end results will be well worth it," he said.
Freeman said the county and the city would work to jointly fund the remaining project cost not covered by the FEMA grant and said it showed how governments can work together to accomplish goals for the community at large.
"The County and the City have been working toward this project for a number of years," Freeman wrote in an email. "This is another example of the tremendous cooperation that exists between the two entities for shared capital improvement projects."
Gilstrap said the county is fronting $300,000 and would be reimbursed by the city for up to $100,000 of the cost of the project since the "bridge sits right on the city limit's line."
The bridge, which sits about three feet above the creek that runs below it, will be elevated to 12 feet in height, which Gilstrap said should prevent future flooding across the roadway.
The section of road which contains the bridge is scheduled to close Jan. 5, though Gilstrap said residents may notice construction going on in coming weeks before the official closure.
The detour around the closure will have drivers taking North Hills Boulevard to Sandstone, which will empty on the back end of Pevehouse Road beyond the construction. Construction is scheduled to be completed in September, weather permitting. The grant states construction, even with delays, must be completed no later than Dec. 31, 2015. Lentz Construction Company of Morrilton is the project contractor.
Gilstrap noted that the project should help alleviate safety issues for drivers during heavy rainfall events, but it will not solve all the flooding issues in that part of the county. A low water bridge just a few blocks past the section slated for replacement will still be subject to flooding on occasion.
"For that second bridge, we hope in the future to move on to it," he said. "It'll be a little more complicated because it's right in a curve. We'd like to elevate it some, but it probably will not be a full-fledged bridge. But it's a future project. Nothing is anticipated in this grant to do that second bridge."
During construction of the bridge between Mitzi Lane and Sandstone, Gilstrap is urging patience from the public.
"We want people to be patient and understand why the bridge is closed. We will move along with the project as quick as we can to get it completed."