LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas judge has given supporters of the old White River bridge in Clarendon 90 days to find a way to prevent the 87-year-old span from being demolished.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza says he will dismiss a lawsuit to block the bridge’s destruction if there is no deal to keep the bridge intact.
The old bridge and its replacement are in wildlife sanctuaries on the White and Cache rivers overseen by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Dismissal of the lawsuit will allow contractors to begin tearing down the historic Clarendon bridge so the site can revert to its natural state, as required by federal regulators.
Demolition is the final step in an 18-year process to replace the bridge with a safer structure.
