Little Rock — Bridge Deal Okd

Rail Transit Online, June 2002

Local officials are expressing confidence that the interminable delays in starting construction of the River Rail streetcar project are over and that work will start this summer now that agreement has been reached for use of the Main Street bridge over the Arkansas River.  Talks between the Central Arkansas Transit Authority (CATA) and the state Highway and Transportation Department, which owns the bridge, crept along for nearly a year.  Major stumbling blocks included how to modify the bridge for trolleys and a usage agreement.  Construction could not start on the 2.2-mile (3.54 km), $18.35-million project until a deal on the bridge had been concluded.  The CATA board voted 8-0 to approve the contact at its May 3 meeting, when it also unanimously approved preparing invitations to bid on the first contact, a $900,000 maintenance facility in North Little Rock.  Separate bid packages for track and traction power supply will be ready this fall, according to project manager Paul Pool.