After severe weather in 2025 damaged the region, Izard County is getting federal help to rebuild one of its damaged crossings. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved funding to repair the flood-damaged Antioch Bridge, with the county's road department working to get the span back in service.
FEMA's own announcement describes the award as more than $1.1 million for repairs to the Antioch Bridge stemming from 2025 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding, according to FEMA. A separate account from nwaonline.com puts the figure at $1.1 million flowing through FEMA's Public Assistance program and says the bridge was damaged by severe weather in 2025 — a small discrepancy in wording that doesn't change the bottom line for county officials trying to get the bridge rebuilt.
Izard County Judge Eric Smith is involved in the Antioch Bridge project.
A Sturdier Bridge Built to a Higher Flood Standard
The rebuilt bridge won't just replace what washed out — it's being engineered to hold up better next time. FEMA approved a reconstruction scope that will allow the county to rebuild Antioch Bridge to a 10-year flood standard, according to citizenportal.ai. The replacement structure will include multiple 10-foot steel box units topped with a 22-foot concrete roadway, the outlet reports.
County forces will handle as much of the work as practical rather than relying entirely on outside contractors, per the same account.
In a related development tied to the same project, the state is expected to take over maintenance of Lake Cross Road next year, according to citizenportal.ai.
Part of a Larger $1.6 Million Package for Arkansas
The Antioch Bridge award isn't standing alone. Arkansas and Izard County will receive a total of $1.6 million in federal funding combined for bridge repairs and hazard mitigation planning tied to severe weather events in both 2025 and 2024, nwaonline.com reports. Beyond the bridge money, Arkansas is set to receive an additional $539,000 from FEMA's hazard mitigation grant program to fund mitigation planning following 2024 severe weather, according to the same outlet.
FEMA's Public Assistance program is designed to fund projects such as repairs to critical infrastructure, public buildings and roads, nwaonline.com notes. The underlying disaster declaration traces back to severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Arkansas in 2025, according to FEMA.
Not an Isolated Case in the Region
Izard County's award lands amid a broader wave of FEMA infrastructure funding across the South this fall. Jonesboro was recently awarded more than $1 million in federal funding to advance flood mitigation efforts along Lost Creek, according to kait8.com. Elsewhere, Lake Lure received $1.3 million from FEMA for bridge and dam-gate repairs, per wlos.com.
Antioch Bridge is slated for reconstruction in Izard County.
