Official: Repairs to interstate bridge could take months
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Transportation officers and police block an Interstate 40 onramp to the bridge over the Mississippi River near downtown Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. The Arkansas Department of Transportation tweeted on Tuesday that it found a crack during a routine inspection of the bridge. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Repairs to the Interstate 40 bridge linking Arkansas and Tennessee could take months after a crack was found in the span, forcing thousands of trucks and cars to detour and shutting down shipping on a section of the Mississippi River, a transportation official said Wednesday.
May 12, 2021 By Waterways Journal
The Coast Guard closed the Lower Mississippi River between Miles 736 and 737 to all vessel traffic May 12 after a crack was discovered in the I-40 Hernando de Soto Bridge at Memphis.
The crack was discovered by the Arkansas Department of Transportation during an inspection.
“The Coast Guard is currently working with Arkansas Department of Transportation, Tennessee Department of Transportation and river industry stakeholders on this developing situation,” said Capt. Ryan Rhodes, captain of the Port of Memphis. “Based on the current information available, we have closed a portion of the Lower Mississippi River out of an abundance of caution. The captain of the port is monitoring the situation and will continue to ensure the safety of the maritime environment and surrounding community.”
Crack closes interstate bridge between Arkansas & Tennessee
Associated Press
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Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Transportation officers and police block an Interstate 40 onramp to the bridge over the Mississippi River near downtown Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. The Arkansas Department of Transportation tweeted on Tuesday that it found a crack during a routine inspection of the bridge. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Interstate 40 bridge linking Arkansas and Tennessee remained closed Wednesday after inspectors found a crack in the span, forcing thousands of trucks and cars to detour and shutting down shipping on the Mississippi River.
ArDOT: âThis fracture had potential to become a catastrophic event.â
âThe bridge is nearly 50 years old, and the constant movement and use are taking its toll on the bridge,â Tudor said. The Tennessee Department of Transportation shared this photo of the crack that shut down the Interstate 40 bridge over the Mississippi River. (Source: Tennessee Department of Transportation) By Region 8 Newsdesk | May 12, 2021 at 11:43 AM CDT - Updated May 12 at 12:49 PM
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT) - The Arkansas Department of Transportation held a press conference Wednesday, updating the status of the I-40 bridge that connects Arkansas and Tennessee.
During the press conference, Arkansas Department of Transportation Director Lorie Tudor said national experts have been called in to evaluate the crack, and once complete a remedy will be determined.
A structural crack has been identified on the Hernando de Soto M bridge, indefinitely closing all lanes of Interstate 40 along the bridge, as well as halting boat traffic in the area on the Mississippi River.
A consultant performing a routine inspection of the bridge located the crack around 2 p.m. Tuesday, said Dave Parker, public information officer for the Arkansas Department of Transportation. The Tennessee Department of Transportation said the crack was located on the bottom side of the bridge truss, which IDrive Arkansas described as a support beam.
It s unclear how long it will take to assess and repair the bridge sufficiently enough to allow vehicle and boat traffic to resume.