What: The Big Dam Bridge is the longest bridge in the United States that was built for pedestrian traffic. It's also the only bridge built into a dam (as opposed to on top of a dam). It's a popular spot for walkers and cyclists in the state, and a popular spot to host 5k walks and bicycle events.
Where: The bridge starts in Murray Park and ends in Cook's Landing Park (or vice versa, depending on your perspective). Google Map to
Murray Park and
Cook's Landing Park.
Stats: The bridge is 4,226 long and connects about 15 miles of trails in the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock.
The monoliths in the plaza are actually parts of the dam that had to be cut out to make supports for the bridge.
LED Lighting: The LED lighting display that occurs after dark gets more comments from out-of-towners than any other aspect of the bridge.
The bridge contains 160 LED light fixtures on the piers, 16 LED light fixtures on the towers and 63 light fixtures on the walkway. It is programmed with several different lighting displays and sometimes has special programs for holidays.
The lighting display won the Illumination Engineering Society of North America IIDA Award of Merit and is truly a sight to behold.
The Name: Out-of-towners also always comment, sometimes rather smugly, on the name "Big Dam Bridge." The bridge was given that nickname by Judge Buddy Villines. It's also referred to as the "Buddy Bridge" or the "Buddy Villines bridge" because Judge Villines envisioned the bridge and got it built.
Villines says the name came about from stating the obvious fact that it was a big bridge over a dam, a play on the words "big damn bridge" and the marketability of the clever name.
Although, a few have commented about the "redneck" name for the bridge, no one will ever forget it.
