LITTLE ROCK– City of Little Rock officials have authorized a contractor to immediately proceed with demolition of the pedestrian bridge over West Markham Street. Preliminary site work started today with demolition set to begin on Tuesday. The contractor has up to 14 days to complete the project, though it is likely the bridge will be removed by the end of this week.
Once the bridge is safely removed, the City will reopen West Markham Street to through traffic. West Markham between Barton Street and Thayer Street has been closed since July 13 after a large truck struck the bridge located near the intersection of Markham and Dennison streets.
Structural engineers inspected the bridge and determined the structure was damaged beyond what can feasibly be repaired. The Little Rock Police Department is investigating the crash.
While contractors remove the structure, motorists are asked to use the marked detour or choose alternate routes.
The City of Little Rock will consider options for rebuilding the bridge.