Olive Street Bridge

LOCATION:  Rogers, AR / Bentonville, AR

In recent years, the congestion in the immediate area surrounding the Olive/28^th Street overpass grew almost overwhelmingly as Northwest Arkansas continued to witness unprecedented economic growth.  Because this location involved two cities separated by an interstate highway and connected by one bridge, a joint project was necessary.  In early 2007, Mayor Steve Womack of Rogers and Mayor Bob McCaslin of Bentonville met to discuss how they could partner together to produce a project that would serve both cities well.  The cities selected Crafton Tull as the engineering firm to design a comprehensive solution to relieve the congestion at this location.  The project was completely funded with local city resources; no state or federal funds were used.  Ultimately, the existing bridge was reconstructed as a 267 foot long, five-lane bridge with matching approaches.  The intersections at each end of the bridge were improved with additional lanes all controlled by a state-of-the-art adaptive traffic signal system.  Decorative traffic signal enhancements were used along with decorative roadway lighting and ornamental fences to give the project an upscale touch that both cities have adopted in recent times.  The project was a win for both cities and the motoring public alike as it totally relieved traffic congestion in one of the more notorious trouble spots in Northwest Arkansas.