1/2 Break found in supporting beam
2/2 I-40 bridge spans the Mississippi River
A major road bridge over the Mississippi River has been closed after a complete break was discovered in one of its steel support beams.
The fault was found during a routine inspection of the Interstate 40 steel tied arch bridge – also known as the Hernando DeSoto Bridge – that connects Arkansas with Memphis in the USA.
Arkansas Department of Transportation director Lorie Tudor said that the fault had the potential of becoming a catastrophic event had it not been caught.
The cause of the damage is under investigation, but Tudor said stress caused by wear and tear on the 50-year-old bridge was likely a factor.
By: CBS News, Associated Press
MEMPHIS, Arkansas -
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.
A congressional Democrat from Tennessee flagged the crack as a warning sign of the urgent need to act on fixes to the nation s infrastructure. Republican U.S. senators also pointed out the need for infrastructure spending while criticizing President Joe Biden s plan.
The six-lane bridge Hernando DeSoto Bridge into Memphis was shut down Tuesday afternoon after inspectors found a significant fracture in one of two 900-foot horizontal steel beams that are crucial for the bridge s integrity, said Lorie Tudor, director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation.
May 13, 2021
This cracked beam was found during a routine inspection May 11 on the I-40 Hernando DeSoto Bridge in Memphis.
Tennessee DOT
bridge in Memphis, Tennessee, after a crack was found on a steal beam.
“We just found a super-critical finding that needs traffic shut down in both directions on the I-40 Mississippi River bridge, an inspector is recorded saying in a 911 call.
“We have critical findings in one of the members that has split, he adds later. We need to get people off the bridge immediately.”
With the bridge closed, the Tennessee and Arkansas departments of transportation are assessing the damage along with engineering firms to determine the needed repairs and when the I-40 Hernando de Soto Bridge could be reopened.
I-40 bridge near Memphis closed indefinitely after officials discover a crack during routine inspection
The Arkansas Department of Transportation discovered a crack along the I-40 bridge near Memphis, causing it to be closed indefinitely while repairs are made. Author: Ian Russell Updated: 7:40 PM CDT May 12, 2021
ARKANSAS, USA If you ve driven across the I-40 bridge towards Memphis, chances are that you don t stop and think of the maintenance involved to keep the bridge safe. It s a tough job that goes unnoticed, Lorie Tudor, Director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation, said.
After a massive crack was discovered in one of the support beams holding up the I-40 bridge, it, along with the workers, are now in the spotlight.
A dangerous crack in a steel beam on the Interstate 40 bridge, near Memphis, Tenn., caused authorities to order an emergency closure, disrupting road and Mississippi River traffic.
Traffic on and below a major bridge over the Mississippi River near Memphis could be halted for several days or longer, causing significant disruptions to motorists and shipping, officials said on 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 on Tuesday and Tennessee officials say repairs could take some time.