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Tennessee Department of Transportation via AP
Originally published on May 13, 2021 1:02 pm
Traffic on and below a major bridge over the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tenn., could be halted for several days or longer, causing significant disruptions to motorists and shipping, officials said Wednesday.
Authorities in Arkansas and Tennessee, along with the U.S. Coast Guard, indefinitely stopped all traffic related to the Hernando de Soto Bridge on Interstate 40 after inspectors discovered a crack in the steel structure Tuesday, and Tennessee officials said repairs could take some time.
The bridge connects Memphis to West Memphis, Ark., and is above a crucial waterway for barges transporting crops to export markets. Crews have begun emergency repairs.
I-40 Bridge Over Mississippi Could Be Shut Down For Months; Inspectors Called 911
The Weather Channel 2 hrs ago Jan Wesner Childs
Replay Video UP NEXT
A busy interstate bridge over the Mississippi River could remain shut down for months after a crack was found in a steel support beam.
The Interstate 40 bridge that connects Arkansas with Memphis, Tennessee, was closed Tuesday after the crack was found during a routine inspection. River traffic under the bridge was also halted.
Inspectors were so alarmed by the crack that they called 911 to warn that traffic on the bridge needed to be stopped immediately.
“We just found a super critical finding that needs traffic shut down in both directions on the I-40 Mississippi River bridge, one of them told a 911 operator, according to audio obtained by WREG-TV.
May 13, 2021 By Shelley Byrne
(Note: This is an updated and expanded version of a story that was initially posted on Waterwaysjournal.net May 12. This story will be updated as needed.)
The Coast Guard closed the Lower Mississippi River in both directions for a mile on either side of the Hernando de Soto Bridge in Memphis, Tenn., following the discovery May 11 of a crack in one of the main beams supporting it.
The closure is between Mile 736 and 737. The bridge carries Interstate 40 between Memphis and West Memphis, Ark. Vehicular traffic was being rerouted via I-55, which crosses the river just downstream.