Self Creek Bridge on Lake Greeson in Arkansas constructed in 1949 is of the open spandrel concrete masonry deck arch type.
The D.F. Jones Construction Company of Little Rock
in conjunction with the Arkansas State Highway Commission erected the bridge
for a cost of $287,624.77.
The Lake Greeson (Narrows Dam and Reservoir) project was authorized by the
Flood Control act of 1941 as amended in 1944. Construction of the Dam was
completed in 1950 with the Self Creek Bridge being completed the year
before. Flood control and hydroelectric power were the authorized purposes
of the project, though recreational fishing and boating are two of the
tourist attractions the man-made lake now provides. A total of 15,953 acres
were acquired for the project. Approximately 111 acres were sold for private
home sites. The dam and lake were the result of the efforts of Martin White
Greeson for whom the lake was renamed around 1976. Until that time the lake
was known as Narrows Lake for the dam that formed it.
The creation of the new lake necessitated a re-routing of Hwy 70 and in turn
the creation of two new bridges. A letter from the Corps of Engineers dated
18 December 1945, states that, “the choice between the arch and truss
structural types should be governed by economic considerations.” As the
designs progressed, the deck arch structural type was chosen over the truss
structural type, and the only change to the final plans was a lengthening of
the overall span of the bridge.
Self Creek Bridge on Lake Greeson in Arkansas constructed in 1949 is of the open spandrel concrete masonry deck arch type.