Officials say heavy traffic and time are to blame for a culvert that collapsed Sunday evening in Miller County.
Mikel Frazier, 41, of Russellville, Ark., drove a 1998 Chevrolet pickup into the hole on Miller County Road 64, near Tyson's River Valley Animal Food plant, but was not injured.
"The driver said he was just unable to see the collapsed hole until he was too close to avoid driving into the hole," Deputy Sheriff Bradley Miller said.
The collapse, not far from the Red River, happened about 5 p.m. Sunday. The cost to repair the culvert is estimated at $150,000, County Judge Roy John McNatt said.
The road is closed and traffic is being rerouted.
McNatt said all the heavy traffic back and forth over a period of time caused the collapse. The culvert is about 20 years old, he said. An estimated 150 tractor-trailer trucks travel the road daily in addition to other vehicles. Tyson has about 120 employees at the plant.
McNatt described the culvert as "almost like a half moon" at 35 feet across and 13 feet in height. It caved in from the top, he said.
"The crossing had a lot of old road hot mix. The weight and time took over and caused the collapsed," McNatt said.
Cleve Batte Construction is helping the county's road crews to repair and plan for the replacement of the culvert, he said.
McNatt said the repairs will use round tank cars. "The tank cars will be steel and it will be stronger," he said.
