Bobby Hopper Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The Bobby Hopper Tunnel is a highway tunnel
located on Interstate 540
in Arkansas
, just north of the Crawford–Washington
county line. It opened in 1999 to four lanes of traffic. No toll is charged.
The tunnel's twin bores are each approximately 1600 foot (0.48768 km) in length, 38 feet (11.6 m) wide and 25 feet (7.6 m) tall (as measured from the roadway to the top of the tunnel arch). A prominent feature of the tunnel is the noticeably inclined gradient of each bore and its associated roadway. Southbound traffic experiences a significant ascending gradient inside the tunnel, while northbound traffic experiences a corresponding descending gradient.
The tunnel was named for the director of the Arkansas Highway Commission (a resident of nearby Springdale, Arkansas
) during the time of its construction. This is the only highway tunnel in the State of Arkansas.Arkansas has seven railroad tunnels but only one highway tunnel. Named for the Arkansas Highway Commission director at the time of the tunnel’s construction, Bobby Hopper, the northwest Arkansas commission representative from Springdale (Washington County), the Bobby Hopper Tunnel is located on Interstate 540 in Washington County just north of the Crawford County line with its closest exit at Winslow.
U.S. Highway 71, once classified as “one of the most dangerous highways in America,” includes a perilous stretch between Alma
and Fayetteville
through the Ozark Plateau. Thus, construction of an alternate route was designed to make the trip safer, as well as reduce travel time. Approved in 1987 and completed in 1999, at a cost of $458 million, the alternate route, eventually named Interstate 540, had an obstacle of an unnamed 1800 feet (548.6 m) peak just north of the Washington–Crawford County line in what John Haman of Arkansas Business called “smack in the middle of motoring wilderness.” A tunnel feasibility study was awarded to GarverUSA which subcontracted with Sverdrup Corporation of Maryland Heights, Missouri
, and TapanAm Associates, Inc., of Kansas City, Missouri, to determine the best option—a tunnel. The alternative would disfigure the topography
and necessitate a 200 feet (61 m) cut creating 8 million cubic yards of debris to be disposed of, as it was not usable within the project.
At an elevation of 1640 feet (499.9 m) above sea level, twin parallel tunnels were mined, not bored, through the mountain in a horseshoe contour since a circular shape, like that used in sewer or train projects, was not needed. Blasting, drilling, and excavation removed native shale and sandstone rocks, slowly chipping to the desired width and length. The hollowed-out channel was lined with reinforced concrete, as were both openings. The finished total length is 1595.2 feet (486.2 m), with a width of thirty-eight feet and a height of twenty-five feet, as measured from the roadway to the top of the arch, allowing for two lanes of traffic and shoulder space on each portal. The tunnel has an inclined pitch in that southbound traffic ascends inside the tunnel while northbound traffic descends, with both at the same grade. Cross-passages occur every 265 feet (80.8 m) allowing for five emergency ways in. Besides paved openings, the tunnel has traffic signals, lighting, message signs, carbon monoxide monitors, fire protection, and closed-circuit television systems to monitor traffic remotely at the Fort Smith
highway department district headquarters.
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
located on Interstate 540
Interstate 540 (Arkansas)
Interstate 540 in Arkansas is a spur of Interstate 40 between Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas; the Northwest Arkansas segment is proposed to become part of an expanded Interstate 49. I-540 provides an Interstate Highway path between Fayetteville and Little Rock via Interstate 40. This links the...
in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, just north of the Crawford–Washington
Washington County, Arkansas
Washington County is a county located in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 203,065. The county seat is Fayetteville. Washington County is Arkansas's 17th county, formed on October 17, 1828, and named for George Washington, the first President of the...
county line. It opened in 1999 to four lanes of traffic. No toll is charged.
The tunnel's twin bores are each approximately 1600 foot (0.48768 km) in length, 38 feet (11.6 m) wide and 25 feet (7.6 m) tall (as measured from the roadway to the top of the tunnel arch). A prominent feature of the tunnel is the noticeably inclined gradient of each bore and its associated roadway. Southbound traffic experiences a significant ascending gradient inside the tunnel, while northbound traffic experiences a corresponding descending gradient.
The tunnel was named for the director of the Arkansas Highway Commission (a resident of nearby Springdale, Arkansas
Springdale, Arkansas
As of the census of 2010, there were 69,797 people, 22,805 households, and 16,640 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 64.7% White, 0.82% Black or African American, 1.8% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 5.7% Pacific Islander, 22% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more...
) during the time of its construction. This is the only highway tunnel in the State of Arkansas.Arkansas has seven railroad tunnels but only one highway tunnel. Named for the Arkansas Highway Commission director at the time of the tunnel’s construction, Bobby Hopper, the northwest Arkansas commission representative from Springdale (Washington County), the Bobby Hopper Tunnel is located on Interstate 540 in Washington County just north of the Crawford County line with its closest exit at Winslow.
U.S. Highway 71, once classified as “one of the most dangerous highways in America,” includes a perilous stretch between Alma
Alma, Arkansas
Alma is a city in Crawford County located in the western part of U.S. state of Arkansas, along I-40 about 13 miles from the Oklahoma border. Alma's population is 4,734, making it the sixth largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
through the Ozark Plateau. Thus, construction of an alternate route was designed to make the trip safer, as well as reduce travel time. Approved in 1987 and completed in 1999, at a cost of $458 million, the alternate route, eventually named Interstate 540, had an obstacle of an unnamed 1800 feet (548.6 m) peak just north of the Washington–Crawford County line in what John Haman of Arkansas Business called “smack in the middle of motoring wilderness.” A tunnel feasibility study was awarded to GarverUSA which subcontracted with Sverdrup Corporation of Maryland Heights, Missouri
Maryland Heights, Missouri
Maryland Heights is a second-ring west-central suburb of St. Louis, located in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 27,472 at the 2010 census. The city was incorporated in 1985. Edwin L. Dirck was elected the city's first mayor. Mark M. Levin has been City Administrator...
, and TapanAm Associates, Inc., of Kansas City, Missouri, to determine the best option—a tunnel. The alternative would disfigure the topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
and necessitate a 200 feet (61 m) cut creating 8 million cubic yards of debris to be disposed of, as it was not usable within the project.
At an elevation of 1640 feet (499.9 m) above sea level, twin parallel tunnels were mined, not bored, through the mountain in a horseshoe contour since a circular shape, like that used in sewer or train projects, was not needed. Blasting, drilling, and excavation removed native shale and sandstone rocks, slowly chipping to the desired width and length. The hollowed-out channel was lined with reinforced concrete, as were both openings. The finished total length is 1595.2 feet (486.2 m), with a width of thirty-eight feet and a height of twenty-five feet, as measured from the roadway to the top of the arch, allowing for two lanes of traffic and shoulder space on each portal. The tunnel has an inclined pitch in that southbound traffic ascends inside the tunnel while northbound traffic descends, with both at the same grade. Cross-passages occur every 265 feet (80.8 m) allowing for five emergency ways in. Besides paved openings, the tunnel has traffic signals, lighting, message signs, carbon monoxide monitors, fire protection, and closed-circuit television systems to monitor traffic remotely at the Fort Smith
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
highway department district headquarters.
