IMBODEN, Ark. — The Arkansas Department of Transportation is seeking public input on plans to replace the historic U.S. 62 bridge over the Spring River in Imboden, with an open house scheduled for Oct. 15.
The bridge connects Lawrence and Randolph counties and dates to 1937. The proposed replacement is identified as ARDOT Job 101119, covering the Spring River bridge and its approaches.
The meeting will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, at Imboden First Assembly of God, 5569 Highway 63, according to a Sept. 22 letter from ARDOT to Imboden Mayor Chris Jones.
Residents may attend at any point during the two-hour session to review displays, ask questions and submit comments about the proposal.
Project materials will be available beginning Friday, Oct. 9, at ardot.gov/publicmeetings. Public comments will be accepted through 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, the letter states. This is the form to download, fill out, and mail in.
The Arkansas Highway Commission’s fourth-quarter report for state fiscal 2026 lists the Imboden project under projects scheduled for 2029, with an estimated contract bid amount of $20 million to $30 million. The report cautions that its cost ranges are planning estimates that may change as design work progresses.
The meeting notice does not specify construction start or completion dates or how traffic would be handled during the work.
The existing crossing is also known as the Imboden Overpass or St. Louis-San Francisco Overpass. It carries traffic over both the Spring River and the BNSF railroad, according to ARDOT’s historic bridge description.
The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. ARDOT identifies its significance in both its truss design and its construction through a federal program intended to make railroad crossings safer.
Historic American Engineering Record documentation held by the Library of Congress says the bridge was designed in 1936 and built the following year by C.F. Lytle of Sioux City, Iowa. Its combination of trusses above and below the roadway reflects state highway bridge design of the late 1930s.
Questions about the meeting may be directed to Matt Strawn, ARDOT’s public involvement section head, at 501-569-2379 or environmentalpimeetings@ardot.gov.
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