The future of trails and greenways in America The future ... - Atfiles.org

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The biggest dam bridge of allA trail facility with extensive river views in the heart of the Little Rock urban areaIT WAS PULASKI COUNTY JUDGE BUDDY VILLINESwho came up with a name for the bridge. When it wasuncertain to officials whether they’d be able to build thebridge, the Judge vowed, “We’re going to build that dambridge,” and the name, which officially became “the BigDam Bridge,” stuck.Comprising 4,226 linear feet, the bridge over the Corps ofEngineers’ Murray Lock and Dam is the longest bridge builtspecifically for pedestrians and bicyclists in the world (thelongest in the U. S. is the Chain of Rocks Bridge in St.Louis, at 5,350 feet, but it was originally a highway bridge).Some of the more impressive design aspects of the Big DamBridge include girders that curve up to a 82.3 meter radiusand a substructure designed to withstand winds up to 160.93kmph. Built with a 14-foot-wide deck, the bridge is capableof handling pedestrian and bicycle traffic and it was alsobuilt with gentle slopes to assure compliance with UniformFederal Accessibility Standards.A bridge of dreams“Our spirits will be renewed as we gaze upon the beautybefore us, over this river whose waters have come andpassed this way for thousands of years, connecting us toour history— our past, our present, and our future. Ourfuture, our history yet to be written. We can be what wechoose to be. If we can conceive it, we can achieve it! Forall things are possible, if we only believe! Let this be aBRIDGE OF DREAMS."— Judge Buddy VillinesThe bridge connects about 17 miles of trail in the cities ofLittle Rock and North Little Rock, bridging the ArkansasRiver from Little Rock’s Murray Park to North Little Rock’sCooks Landing.Also known as “Buddy’s Bridge,” Judge Villines was thevisionary and pushing force behind the Big Dam Bridge, alasting legacy for this larger than life southern politician.“Bridges connect people and places. This one will attractpeople and be good for economic growth. Plus,” says the8NEW YEARS 2007American Trails
Little Rock’s big new projectJudge, “our culture has to change its ways. We have to behealthier.”And that may just be the most spectacular feature of thebridge— the way it is bringing people together. Thousandsof people gathered on September 30th, 2006 for the openingceremonies and 5k footrace, and daily walkers, runners,bicyclists, and families from all walks of life can be seenenjoying the bridge.“It truly is a gift to every member of our community,” AnneWoker of Little Rock says about the bridge, “no matter howold or young, rich or poor, fit or physically challenged…and, it is a gift that will keep giving to each of us in our lifetimesand those to come. Wow, I love that dam bridge!”Speaking at the ribbon cutting ceremony in September,Judge Villines furthered that notion. “This bridge, like thevery early bridges, connects people and places. Spanning thisriver that would divide us, it connects us in a very humanway. We will bring our families and our friends here, and wewill meet other families and make new friends. We will bebetter and our community will be better for the experience.Let this be a “Bridge to Friendship and Community.”www.AmericanTrails.org9
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