Palarm Bridge Replacement

Highway 365 over Palarm Creek, Pulaski County, Arkansas

Palarm Creek is a tributary of the Arkansas River, located in Pulaski County, Arkansas. The existing 171-foot-long bridge carrying Highway 365 over this waterway was aging and deemed structurally deficient when the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) set into motion the plan to replace it.

ARDOT staff performed the roadway and hydraulic study, but due to an abbreviated design schedule, asked Michael Baker to complete the bridge design and plans. This approach represented a true partnership as Michael Baker’s bridge design team coordinated directly with ARDOT’s roadway design team to produce the complete set of construction drawings. The Michael Baker team also completed a geotechnical investigation.

As part of the project, the bridge was lengthened to 202.5 feet and widened to allow for two 12-foot lanes with 8-foot shoulders. This ensured that the structure would provide a safer corridor for the traveling public, as well as increase the capacity of the structure, allowing for smoother traffic flow and reduced delays.

Additionally, the new structure needed to be horizontally curved to maintain traffic throughout the construction of the new Palarm Creek Bridge. While the offset alignment added complexity to the project, the benefit of allowing the previous structure to remain in use throughout the construction of the new bridge was a key benefit to those that live, work and play in the area.