NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The new Broadway Bridge connecting downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock is now open for traffic.
State highway officials say the bridge over the Arkansas River opened to traffic late Wednesday, which was ahead of schedule. The contractor, Massman Construction, was given a 180-day period to finish the span after the old bridge was shut down and eventually demolished.
The highway department said that the new bridge opened 152 days into the 180-day period. The contract calls for Massman Construction to receive $80,000 for each day that the bridge opened early, though the state is still calculating the exact amount of the bonus.
Officials say the bridge is open to north-south traffic only as work continues on ramps.