Interstate bridge over Mississippi River to begin reopening
The Interstate 40 bridge linking Arkansas and Tennessee that was closed after a crack was found in the span will begin reopening next week
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Interstate 40 bridge linking Arkansas and Tennessee that was closed after a crack was found in the span will begin reopening to traffic next week, transportation officials said Wednesday.
The Arkansas and Tennessee departments of transportation said the eastbound lanes of the Hernando DeSoto Bridge over the Mississippi River will reopen to limited traffic Monday morning. The span's westbound lanes are slated to reopen August 6.
The I-40 bridge was shut down May 11 after inspectors found a crack in one of two 900-foot (275-meter) horizontal steel beams critical for the bridge’s structural integrity. Road traffic had been diverted to the nearby Interstate 55 bridge during the I-40 bridge's repairs.
The Arkansas Department of Transportation, which is charge of the bridge's inspection, fired an inspector who missed the crack in 2019 and 2020. But pictures from a kayaker indicate the crack was visible in 2016.
The announcement comes days after Tennessee transportation official said the bridge likely wouldn't reopen until early August. Workers this week finished installing 17 steel plates needed to repair the bridge.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation said the opening plan is barring any complications and planned to put out another update Friday. Workers will begin breaking down platforms and removing equipment on the bridge's eastbound side starting Friday, officials said.