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March 1, 2017 • Vol. XXX • No. 5 • 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215-885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215-885-2910
Demo of Broadway Bridge a ‘Show Stopper’ By Cindy Riley
Although efforts to bring down the 93year-old structure didn’t go according to plan, work remains on schedule for the replacement Broadway Bridge (Hwy. 70) over the Arkansas River in Pulaski County. The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) is overseeing construction, which began in January 2015. “This project has generated more than the usual interest, because it’s in the middle of downtown Little Rock,” said Danny Straessle, AHTD public information officer. “More eyes than usual are on it, not just from motorists who pass by, but also from the thousands of office workers in tall buildings who can look down on the site.” The total cost for the bridge, which connects Little Rock and North Little Rock, includes removal and demolition of the current bridge and construction of the new one. Additional improvements in the area also will be made. Straessle said the public was surprised how quickly the contractor was able to take down the old structure. “The compressed time frame for completion
CEG CORRESPONDENT
VDOT Works to Improve Safety on Route 460/29…8
Pinnacle Cranes Hosts Product Support Program…12
Yoder & Frey Hosts Six-Day Auction…78
Table of Contents.............4 Trucks & Trailer Section ...................................31-34 Attachment Section ...................................35-40 Recycling Section.....47-57 Business Calendar..........64 Auction Section........ 76-85 Advertisers Index.......... 86
Rusty Hubbard, AHTD photo
The bridge shut down to vehicle traffic that morning, so the contractor could perform demolition work and complete construction of the new structure.
is not something you see every day in Arkansas. Folks are very much accustomed to highway projects taking a long time, due to the nature of the work. This goes to show if the public can see measurable results, they are likely to be more
supportive of work that will ultimately benefit them,” said Straessle. The need to replace or rehabilitate the original bridge was identified several years ago, as it was see BROADWAY page 58
Trump To-Do List: Charlotte Wants to Spend Airport Upgrades Airport, Suburbs…
$6B to Expand Rail System CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Charlotte wants to spend up to $6 billion to expand its light rail system to the airport and suburbs not currently served. But the city hasn’t finalized a plan to pay for it, and there may not be support to extend the trains to areas like Matthews, southeast of the city and the northern suburbs toward Iredell County. Each new line would cost about $2 billion. Charlotte Area Transit System CEO John Lewis said he will give details about the plan to the system’s board this
spring. Some of the money may come from President Donald Trump’s proposed trillion-dollar infrastructure investment plan, Lewis said. “Because we’re behind, because of the impact of the recession, we’ve got to find a way to jump start it,’’ Lewis told The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte passed a half-cent sales tax in 1998 for light rail. The Blue Line running south of the city to Interstate 485 is already open, with a second line called the Gold Line heading northeast toward see RAILS page 28
WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump told airline and airport executives that he is interested in privatizing America’s air traffic control system and improving the nation’s airports and roads, which he called obsolete. Trump also promised to roll back government regulations and said he will announce a plan in the coming weeks to reduce taxes on businesses. But he sounded skeptical about raising fees that airline passengers pay to fund airport improvements. Airline and airport executives who emerged from the White House meeting called it a positive session. Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly told Trump the best way to help airlines would be to “modernize the air traffic control system.” He complained that money spent on the system has not improved it. “I hear we’re spending billions and billions of dollars, it’s a see TRUMP page 29