County Road 1 is now an easier route to travel on following the recent completion of a construction project in the Denton Ferry area. A ribbon cutting was held Tuesday morning for the dedication of the new bridge over Hightower Creek.
The new bridge replaced a five-culvert, low-water crossing that flooded during multiple high-water events. It also was repaired with assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency following six presidentially-declared disasters. Former Baxter County Judge Mickey Pendergrass was among those at the ceremony, and he tells KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot’s Heather Loftis the issues originated from the ice storm of 2009.
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The previous crossing was the conduit for over 11,000 acres of the Hightower Creek Watershed flowing into the White River below Bull Shoals Dam. The costs for each of its previous repairs ranged from $11,000 to $54,000.
Pendergrass says in addition to the bridge, improvements were made to the creek.
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In addition to Hodges Engineering, the bridge’s construction was courtesy of a partnership with the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District, Strider Engineering and West Plains Bridge and Grading. The total project cost of over $1.77 million was covered by FEMA mitigation funds, American Rescue Plan Act funds and labor, material and equipment from the Baxter County Road and Bridge Department.
A reception was held following the ribbon cutting at the Cotter-Gassville Rural Fire Department.
Left to right: Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District’s Tina Cole, former Baxter County Judge Mickey Pendergrass and current Baxter County Judge Kevin Litty.
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