The Helena Bridge is a

cantilever bridge A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end (called cantilevers). For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beam (structure), beams; however, large cantilever ...

carrying

U.S. Route 49 U.S. Route 49 (US 49) is a north–south United States highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Piggott, Arkansas, at an intersection with US Route 62/ Highway 1/ Highway 139 (US 62/AR 1/AR 139). Its southern terminus is ...

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 f ...

between

Helena, Arkansas Helena is the eastern portion of Helena–West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas. It was founded in 1833 by Nicholas Rightor and is named after the daughter of Sylvanus Phillips, an early settler of Phillips County and the n ...

and

Lula, Mississippi Lula is a town in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 204. Geography Lula is located near the northern border of Coahoma County. U.S. Route 49 passes southwest of the town, and U.S. Route 61 pass ...

. The main cantilever span was modeled on the similar Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge which had been built downstream by Arkansas and Mississippi roughly two decades earlier. However, the river navigation issues that led to the replacement of the Humphreys Bridge with the

Greenville Bridge The Greenville Bridge, or the Jesse Brent Memorial Bridge, is a cable-stayed bridge over the Mississippi River, in the United States, carrying US 82 and US 278 between Refuge, Mississippi, and Shives, Arkansas. When it opened in 2010, it was the ...

do not apply to the Helena Bridge, as the river curve here is far less severe than the one just upstream from the Humphreys and Greenville Bridges. The bridge had a stated construction cost of $14 million, and was opened as a toll bridge in 1961 until that initial cost was repaid. The total length of the bridge is slightly less than a mile and it replaced an earlier ferry. The bridge superstructure suffered its first substantial damage from a barge accident in July 1997."Mississippi River bridge out after hit; casino artery severed"
'

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

in ''

Log Cabin Democrat The ''Log Cabin Democrat'' is a daily newspaper in Conway, Arkansas, United States, serving Conway and Faulkner County and some surrounding areas. It was founded in July 1879 as ''The Log Cabin''. Its publisher is David Meadows, who also serves ...

'', July 17, 1997.

References

Road bridges in Arkansas Bridges over the Mississippi River Bridges completed in 1961 Transportation in Phillips County, Arkansas Buildings and structures in Phillips County, Arkansas Road bridges in Mississippi U.S. Route 49 Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System Articles containing video clips Cantilever bridges in the United States Interstate vehicle bridges in the United States Transportation in Coahoma County, Mississippi Buildings and structures in Coahoma County, Mississippi 1961 establishments in Arkansas 1961 establishments in Mississippi Former toll bridges in Arkansas {{Mississippi-bridge-struct-stub

References

See also