Broadway Bridge honored with Prize Bridge Award

Since its opening in 2017, the new Broadway Bridge has provided not only an updated Arkansas River crossing through the state’s largest metropolitan area, but also an update to the capital city’s vibrant skyline.

The bridge, recently renamed as the Veterans Memorial Bridge, has been routinely recognized across the industry for its design and impact on its community, too. That continued recently when the American Institute of Steel Construction's National Steel Bridge Alliance presented the bridge with a Merit Award for Major Spans in its annual Prize Bridge Awards program.

“It’s been a joy to see how the new Broadway Bridge has impacted Central Arkansas and all those who utilize it on a daily basis,” said Garver Bridge Design Manager John Ruddell, PE. “The final product was truly a team effort between the design team, the two cities, Pulaski County, and the Arkansas Department of Transportation, and we’re proud that it will be a consistent and reliable source of travel for decades to come.”

To provide an updated route between the downtowns of Little Rock and North Little Rock, the Garver-led design included approaching roadways and bridge lighting, as well as pedestrian and cycling paths connected to the Arkansas River Trail. In addition to design, Garver provided a bridge-type selection study and a two-phase traffic study, while also taking into account closure time to alleviate inconveniences for up to 24,000 traveling daily between two local landmarks.

The HNTB-designed main spans are composed of two 448-foot network tied-arch spans and inclined basket-handle arches. The tied arches allowed the bridge to be constructed on barges down river, then floated into place to limit closure time to five months.

In earning the award, the Broadway Bridge joins a class of more than 600 bridges that help improve connectivity across the country recognized by the NSBA for being efficient, economic, and sustainable.

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