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Newton said there is no time frame for the reopening of the Hernando de Soto bridge. Author: Talk Business & Politics Updated: 3:11 PM CDT May 23, 2021
Arkansas Trucking Association President Shannon Newton said short-term and long-term solutions are being discussed to resolve the transportation challenges presented by the closure of the damaged I-40 Mississippi River bridge to Memphis.
During a meeting with federal officials on Thursday (May 20), Newton said there is no time frame for reopening of the Hernando de Soto bridge, which was closed over a week ago after a massive fracture was discovered on one of the steel beams supporting the structure.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and Roby Brock, with our partner
Talk Business and Politics, cover plenty of ground in their weekly conversation. There is the decision for Arkansas to end participation in a federal supplemental unemployment program. There is the move to oust Liz Cheney from a leadership position within the GOP House membership. And will we build bridges (literal or metaphorical) any time soon?
MEMPHIS â An inspection of the Interstate 55 bridge connecting Tennessee and Arkansas began Tuesday, a week after the span became the statesâ primary Mississippi River crossing when a cracked steel beam prompted the indefinite closure of the nearby Interstate 40 bridge.
Inspectors using drones were looking closely at the 71-year old I-55 bridge to ensure it is structurally sound and can withstand the higher volume of road traffic it has seen since the I-40 bridge was closed May 11, said Clay Bright, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Repairs to the heavily-used I-40 bridge are expected to begin this week, but a long-term fix could take months, officials said. The states are relying on the I-55 bridge to get cars and trucks across the Mississippi River and maintain the flow of commercial vehicles.
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PUSHING Tow boat positions a barge in port along the Mississippi River. Undated file photo. (Image courtesy Scott Stiles)
Disruptions in truck and barge traffic with the closure of the Interstate-40 bridge over the Mississippi River will likely translate into higher costs for consumers.
The Hernando DeSoto Bridge connecting West Memphis, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, was closed May 11 after transportation officials found a crack in its support structure. The 3.3-mile bridge, with its two distinctive steel arches, carries about 60,000 vehicles a day, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
The same day, the Coast Guard closed the river to barge traffic that would pass under the bridge. The Coast Guard reopened the waterway May 14. At the time, there were 62 vessels and 1,058 barges in the queue.