Benton County building, bridge projects move along

BENTONVILLE -- Work continues moving forward on a county bridge and courthouse building, Benton County Judge Barry Moehring said.

The new Osage Creek bridge on Old Arkansas 68 is taking shape, and the courthouse expansion downtown remains on schedule and on budget, Moehring told the Quorum Court at its meeting June 24.

The bridge is just west of Logan Road in the southern part of the county. The bridge cost is $2.3 million, with 80% covered by federal money, 18% with state aid and 2% with county money, Moehring said.

The old 450-foot-long bridge was built in 1935, "so it had certainly met its design life and was listed as structurally deficient," said Josh Beam, chief county engineer.

Moehring showed the justices of the peace 25 seconds of drone footage of the bridge's skeletal frame.

The bridge's foundation and girder beams have been set and work has started on the deck area, Beam said. The design phase started in 2017 and was completed in 2020, he said.

Construction started last fall and should be complete by summer 2022, Moehring said.

At 502 feet, the bridge will be the longest in the county's area of responsibility, Moehring said. The next longest county bridge at 430 feet is on Logan Road and also goes over Osage Creek. War Eagle Bridge is the third-largest county bridge at 304 feet, Beam said.

The county is also constructing a $3.1 million courthouse expansion. Construction began Feb. 1.

The expansion will add 5,500 square feet to the 28,000-square-foot courthouse and provide a new courtroom for Christine Horwart, who became the county's seventh circuit court judge in January.

Horwart's courtroom and office will be on the second floor of the addition. A lobby will be on the first floor. Moehring said Horwart should be in the new building by Jan. 1.

The county is financing the project with a loan from Regions Bank for five years at 1.59% with no prepayment penalty, said Brenda Peacock, county comptroller.

Once additional plans have been approved, subcontractors will price additional work and submit change orders, according to Moehring's presentation.

Enhanced landscaping additions outside the building need city approval, he said.

In May, the county received a $485,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation to beautify the area between the Benton County Courthouse and the County Administration Building, according to a county news release.

The grant will pay for landscaping and improvements to the parking area between Northeast Second Street and East Central Avenue.

Enhancements include brick pavers along the surrounding sidewalks, flowering shrubs, evergreen shrubs, perennial mixes, maple trees, benches and additional planters, according to the release.

The north half of the parking lot is set to open in August, pending weather, County Facilities Administrator Bryan Beeson said Monday.