The Charles W. Dean Bridge, known before 1999 as the Great River Bridge, is a planned

cable-stayed bridge A cable-stayed bridge has one or more ''towers'' (or ''pylons''), from which cables support the bridge deck. A distinctive feature are the cables or stays, which run directly from the tower to the deck, normally forming a fan-like pattern ...

to carry Interstate 69 and U.S. Route 278 across the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...

between

Arkansas City, Arkansas Arkansas City is a town in Desha County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 366 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Desha County. Arkansas City's historic Commercial District, located at Desoto Avenue and Sprague Stree ...

and

Benoit, Mississippi Benoit is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 Census, the population was 365. History The 1956 movie ''Baby Doll'' was shot on location at the Burrus House in Benoit; many local residents played in minor roles. ...

. The

Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT), formerly the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, is a government department in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Its mission is to provide a safe, efficient, aesthetically pleasing and e ...

began land acquisition for the project in October 2006, but no funding has been provided for construction. Preliminary studies indicate the bridge would be long, with one cable-stayed span over the main channel of the river supported by two towers. A cost of $565 million has been estimated. The structure's name commemorates Charles W. Dean (1927–1998), an engineer from

Cleveland, Mississippi Cleveland is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 11,199 as of the 2020 United States Census. Cleveland has a large commercial economy, with numerous restaurants, stores, and services along U.S. 61. Clevelan ...

who proposed the bridge in 1984. A Mississippi legislative act named the proposed bridge after Dean in 1999.

History and development

The Great River Bridge was originally proposed by Mississippi engineer Charles W. Dean in 1984. Originally part of the planned relocation of US-278 through the lower Mississippi Delta, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved the environmental impact statement (EIS) and issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the bridge in 2004. It has been determined that the Charles W. Dean Bridge will also carry Interstate 69, following FHWA approvals for sections of I-69 in Arkansas in 2006 and Mississippi in 2010 that will connect to either end of the bridge.

Project status

The Charles W. Dean Bridge project has cleared all of its environmental and permitting reviews, and is considered "

shovel ready In politics, a shovel ready construction project (usually larger-scale infrastructure) is where planning and engineering is advanced enough that—with sufficient funding—construction can begin within a very short time. The term was popularized ...

," pending the availability of funds for construction. As of 2009, the bridge has been approved by Congress for funding, but has not actually been funded yet. The state of Arkansas began to purchase land for the bridge starting in October, 2006. In its 2011-2013 Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan, the AHTD stated intentions to begin construction of the Arkansas approach roadways and structures in 2011, subject to funding. Construction of the bridge and the remaining connections is contingent upon funding. There has been no construction on the bridge or approaches and minimal upgrades to the I-69 corridor in Arkansas period as of 2021. In 2017, the status of the bridge was brought to Congress's attention, and plans were floated to make the bridge an active project. As of 2021, the entire I-69 project in Arkansas seems to be a fairly low priority to AHTD.

External links

Old Man Bridge: Change in the Delta
''Oxford American'', 2005.
Charles W. Dean Bridge at website Structurae
{{Crossings navbox , structure = Crossings , place =

, bridge = Charles W. Dean Bridge (proposed) , bridge signs = , upstream =

Helena Bridge The Helena Bridge is a cantilever bridge carrying U.S. Route 49 across the Mississippi River between Helena, Arkansas and Lula, Mississippi. The main cantilever span was modeled on the similar Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge which had been bui ...

, upstream signs = , downstream = Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge (closed) , downstream signs = Former Cable-stayed bridges in the United States Road bridges in Arkansas Bridges over the Mississippi River Proposed bridges in the United States Interstate 69 Towers in Arkansas Towers in Mississippi Bridges on the Interstate Highway System Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System Transportation in Desha County, Arkansas Buildings and structures in Desha County, Arkansas Road bridges in Mississippi U.S. Route 278 Interstate vehicle bridges in the United States Transportation in Bolivar County, Mississippi Buildings and structures in Bolivar County, Mississippi

History and development

Project status

See also

External links