3 days ago
Saline County set for Old River Bridge ribbon-cutting
Video: Historic Old River Bridge returns to Saline County, nears reopening
SALINE COUNTY, Ark. – A long-time project in Saline County will receive its formal opening with a June ribbon-cutting.
Officials with the county announced that the Old River Bridge is scheduled for a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 24. Standing on the banks of the Saline River, the bridge is at the end of Airline Drive in Benton, near the 2215 address.
Historic Old River Bridge returns to Saline County, nears reopening
The Old River Bridge first opened on July 15, 1891, and served for decades before being taken out of commission on April 12, 1974, when a truck hauling concrete bricks fell through its floor.
In 2021, the bridge was disassembled and relocated from its original location to Lansing, Michigan, to a bridge restoration specialist. The bridge returned to Saline County in 2022, and construction began at its original location in the county.
The ribbon cutting will mark the end of the bridge's restoration project, which according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, began with a grassroots group formed in 2008. The 260-foot-long iron and wood bridge is believed to be the oldest in the state.
Saline County Judge Matt Brumley said the bridge's opening is more than a celebration of history; it is also a monument that brings the community together.
Historic Saline County bridge expected to return to original location by May
With its opening, the bridge is now part of the 65-mile Southwest Trail, a greenway project that connects Hot Springs to Little Rock through Pulaski, Saline, and Garland counties.
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