Arkansas Department of Transportation conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday on Arkansas Highway 234 in Little River County west of Winthrop, Ark., also known as Hurricane Creek Bridge.
Little River County Judge Mike Cranford said the transportation department project saved the road used by traffic going to work and home in the western area of the county.
The project cost $668,410 and the contractor was W.L. Bass Construction. The project started May 16 and was completed Aug. 23.
The highway culverts were damaged during floods and required the highway department to re-route traffic.
"We had to re-route traffic during high water episodes," Cranford said. "We had a lot of problems with flooding.
"The highway department studied the project. They don't do anything without a study and a cost assessment," Cranford said.
The project included five culverts 54 feet in length.
"I appreciate the highway department. We couldn't have afforded the repairs. It saved us from having a complete wash out of the culverts," he said.
The old culverts were replaced by pre-cast culverts made of concrete and set together in pieces. Bonding agents were used to secure the culvert and put the aggregate back around the culverts and repaved the road, Cranford said.