The Helena Bridge is a

cantilever bridge A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end (called cantilevers). For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beam (structure), beams; however, large cantilever ...

carrying U.S. Route 49 across the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

between

Helena, Arkansas Helena is the eastern portion of Helena–West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas, located on the west bank of the Mississippi River. It was founded in 1833 by Nicholas Rightor and is named after the daughter of Sylvanus Phil ...

and Lula, Mississippi. The main cantilever span was modeled on the similar Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge which had been built downstream by Arkansas and Mississippi roughly two decades earlier. However, the river navigation issues that led to the replacement of the Humphreys Bridge with the Greenville Bridge do not apply to the Helena Bridge, as the river curve here is far less severe than the one just upstream from the Humphreys and Greenville Bridges. The bridge had a stated construction cost of $14 million, and was opened as a toll bridge in 1961 until that initial cost was repaid. The total length of the bridge is slightly less than a mile and it replaced an earlier ferry. The bridge superstructure suffered its first substantial damage from a barge accident in July 1997."Mississippi River bridge out after hit; casino artery severed"
'

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

in '' Log Cabin Democrat'', July 17, 1997.

References

* List of crossings of the Lower Mississippi River Road bridges in Arkansas Bridges over the Mississippi River Bridges completed in 1961 Transportation in Phillips County, Arkansas Buildings and structures in Phillips County, Arkansas Road bridges in Mississippi U.S. Route 49 Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System Articles containing video clips Cantilever bridges in the United States Interstate vehicle bridges in the United States Transportation in Coahoma County, Mississippi Buildings and structures in Coahoma County, Mississippi 1961 establishments in Arkansas 1961 establishments in Mississippi Former toll bridges in Arkansas {{Mississippi-bridge-struct-stub

References

See also