Construction begins on Cheri Whitlock overpass

Construction crews are in the beginning phases of a project that is intended to make a Siloam Springs train crossing safer.

The train crossing on Cheri Whitlock near Lincoln Street is considered one of the most dangerous crossings in the state, according to City Engineer Justin Bland.

Bland said that traffic of younger drivers from Siloam Springs High School to the east and the delay trains can cause emergency vehicles headed to the hospital, also on the east side of the tracks, were two factors that prompted the project.

The project calls for an overpass over the train crossing, which would keep traffic off the tracks and prevent trains obstructing emergency vehicles moving to and from the hospital.

The project is already causing lane closures, as crews were relocating gas lines as of press time. Those closures are scheduled to conclude on Friday.

Bland said the construction crews would start on the actual overpass soon, with a completion date sometime in Spring 2018.

Manhattan Road and Bridge won the construction contract in the amount of $10,103,427.10, of which the city was responsible for 20 percent, with a cap of $2 million, Bland said. The Arkansas State Highway Transportation Department is overseeing the project, and is responsible for the design. With the contract, the cost for the entire project, including the AHTD's design costs, is projected to cost around $11.1 million, meaning the city's portion reaches the $2 million cap.

The bridge deck will be around 30 feet high above the rails, due to requirements on railroad overpasses.

In other road news, the city announced Tuesday morning that the intersection of Harvard and South Oak Hill will close from Jan. 11 to Jan. 18 while crews work on sewer upgrades. The city has also installed a pedestrian crossing on Mt. Olive Street.