| This project is part of a new, 42-mile long, four-lane U.S. Route 71 between Fayetteville and Interstate 40 at Alma in Arkansas. It replaced a portion of the existing Rt. 71 which, because of the difficult terrain, had steep vertical grades and a poor horizontal alignment, thus creating a difficult, and low level of service to the traveling public. A 1,600-ft, twin-bore tunnel in Washington County was incorporated into the project to avoid a 200-foot cut in the pristine, rolling hills, terrain and also to maintain the existing Bunyard Road thorough-fare which passes directly over the tunnel project. Each bore has a quasi-horseshoe shaped, flat arch cross-section and provides for two lanes of traffic with shoulders. The mechanical ventilation utilized the longitudinal "jet fan" system with horizontally mounted, vane axial fans, that are suspended from the tunnel crown. This is only the fourth tunnel (in the U.S.) to incorporate the "jet fan" concept of longitudinal ventilation. The tunnel has been officially named as the Bobby Hopper Tunnel in honor of Mr. Bobby Hopper, Chairman, Arkansas Highway Commission. The tunnel, as well as the entire 42-mile roadway, was opened to traffic in the middle of December 1998 and has been deemed a success by the traveling public.
411 source from Mr. Tunnel-dawg
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