Arizona Has Opportunity To Add To Its Collection Of Historic Bridges -- May 8, 2018

From the archives:London Bridge (Lake Havasu City) London Bridge is a bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. It was built in the 1830s and formerly spanned the River Thames in London, England. It was dismantled in 1967 and relocated to Arizona.

Now, another opportunity for Arizona to add to their collection of historic bridges. From The Bismarck Tribune:

The North Dakota Department of Transportation is proposing to remove the historic Long X Bridge and is seeking a public or private agency to adopt one or more segments of the structure.

The announcement Monday came as the agency published the draft environmental impact statement for the proposed expansion of U.S. Highway 85 in western North Dakota.

Proponents of the highway expansion say a four-lane highway is needed to improve safety due to increased oil traffic, but others have raised concerns about impacts to the 7-mile stretch through the Badlands and the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

The Department of Transportation’s preferred alternative is to expand Highway 85 between Interstate 94 and Watford City to a divided, four-lane highway with a depressed center median.

The department’s preferred option is to remove the bridge that was constructed in 1959 and replace it with a four-lane bridge to the east.

The bridge is available to “any responsible state, local or private agency willing to take ownership of, relocate and preserve the Long X Bridge in a new location,” with preference given to public entities, the agency said.