Skip to main content

Parsons wins bridge deal in Arkansas

Parsons is heading the project to build the I-40 White River Bridge and approaches in the US state of Arkansas. The contract is to build a 1.92km bridge for the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department and Parsons is leading the joint venture that also includes CJ Mahan construction. The new bridge will be constructed some 61m upstream from the existing structure. The existing White River Bridge has four 3.66m-wide lanes and 61m of vertical clearance between piers for commercial navigation
January 17, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
3220 Parsons is heading the project to build the I-40 White River Bridge and approaches in the US state of Arkansas. The contract is to build a 1.92km bridge for the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department and Parsons is leading the joint venture that also includes CJ Mahan construction.  The new bridge will be constructed some 61m upstream from the existing structure.  

The existing White River Bridge has four 3.66m-wide lanes and 61m of vertical clearance between piers for commercial navigation vessels. The new bridge will have 18 spans comprising six lanes and will provide 98m of horizontal clearance between the two main river piers and 15.8m of clearance above the White River. It will feature drilled shaft foundations instead of pile foundations as this will reduce costs as well as the time needed for construction. In addition, construction of the new link will include demolition of the old bridge, earthwork, traffic maintenance, and erosion control.

I-40 is an east-west interstate highway connecting Oklahoma and Tennessee with the majority of the route in Arkansas. Construction of the new White River Bridge and its approach roads is scheduled to begin in March 2017 and is expected to be complete in summer 2019. Once the new bridge is in operation its additional lanes will boost capacity will help improve journey times as well as safety for drivers in the area.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Alberta’s peaceful partnership
    May 4, 2020
    A bridge project in northern Canada threw up some unexpected challenges, reports David Arminas, from the banks of the Peace River in Alberta
  • Rebuilding a historic bridge linking the US and Canada
    March 8, 2016
    While many road authorities in North America are finding it difficult to stretch their bridge assets beyond half a century, one bridge is closing in on its centenary - David Arminas reports The international Peace Bridge, connecting the Canadian province of Ontario with the US state of New York, is 88 years young this year, and still going strong.
  • Framework solutions speed bridge construction
    February 24, 2012
    Framework plays a key role in construction of bridges and other major infrastructure works – Mike Woof writes Speeding construction processes can help reduce costs considerably and the latest formwork solutions can provide significant benefits in this regard. In many projects the use of standardized and modular formwork solutions can play a key role, reducing the planning and systems required for bridge building work.
  • Storstrom Bridge to be Denmark’s third longest
    March 8, 2018
    Form and functionality come together in Denmark’s latest Storstrom Bridge design. David Arminas reports. An Italian joint venture recently won the construction contract for what will be one of Denmark’s longest bridges, the replacement 4km-long road and rail Storstrom Bridge. The Danish Road Directorate - Vejdirektoratet - awarded the work to a joint venture of Condotte and Grandi Lavori Fincosit along with bridge design consultant Seteco Ingegneria as a subcontractor. Estimated cost is around €550 milli