Originally intended to be called Murray Bridge, the Big Dam Bridge in Arkansas spans the Arkansas River and Murray Lock and Dam between Little Rock and North Little Rock and is open only to

pedestrian A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In modern times, the term usually refers to someone walking on a road or pavement, but this was not the case historically. The meaning of pedestrian is displayed with ...

and

bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bic ...

traffic. At 4,226 feet (1288 m) in length it is the longest pedestrian/bicycle bridge in North America that has never been used by trains or motor vehicles. It rises to over the Arkansas River and over the dam. The span over the river is 3,463 feet (1055 m), with the ramps on either side of the river accounting for the rest of the length. The southern end of the bridge is near Little Rock's Murray Park, while the northern end is at Cook's Landing Park in North Little Rock. The nickname was given by Pulaski County Judge F.G. “Buddy” Villines, who was concerned about the

financing Funding is the act of providing resources to finance a need, program, or project. While this is usually in the form of money, it can also take the form of effort or time from an organization or company. Generally, this word is used when a firm uses ...

needed and was quoted to say, "We're going to build that dam bridge." (He insisted he was referring to its location on a dam, and was not using the mild expletive.) The construction cost was $12.8 million. The opening ceremony was held on Saturday, September 30, 2006. Local politicians boasted that the bridge will boost the local economy and contribute to the health of the population. The bridge and adjacent parks are used for several races including the Big Dam Bridge 100 cycling tour, the BDB Twilight 5k race, and the BDB Duathlon. The Federal Highway Administration gave one of its first Exemplary Human Environment Initiative awards to the bridge, and Illuminating Engineer Society gave its Award of Merit at the international level to the bridge's LED lighting design.

Gallery

Image:Big_Dam_Bridge_3.jpg, View from Little Rock Image:Big_Dam_Bridge_4.jpg, View from North Little Rock File:Big Dam Bridge, Arkansas River Trail west side.jpg, Looking down from the west side of the bridge

References

External links

Official Website Of The Big Dam Bridge

{{Crossings navbox , structure = Crossings , place =

Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in the western United Stat ...

, bridge = Pulaski County Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge , bridge signs = Murray Lock and Dam , upstream =

Interstate 430 Bridge The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...

, upstream signs = , downstream = Baring Cross Bridge , downstream signs = ''Union Pacific Railroad'' Pedestrian bridges in the United States Transportation in Little Rock, Arkansas Transportation in Pulaski County, Arkansas Buildings and structures in Little Rock, Arkansas Buildings and structures in North Little Rock, Arkansas Bridges in Arkansas 2006 establishments in Arkansas Bridges completed in 2006 Cyclist bridges in the United States Cycling in Arkansas Bridges over the Arkansas River