Lane Closures on I-40 Bridge Over the Mississippi River Begin in Two Weeks

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – In just two weeks crews will reduce the Interstate 40 Bridge over the Mississippi River near Memphis to one lane in each direction for approximately two months. Crews must reduce the bridge to one lane in each direction in order to safely install a new seismic expansion joint along bridge piers located near the Riverside Drive exit. 

 

Work on this part of the seismic retrofit project is broken into three phases. Phase 1 was completed and opened to traffic Saturday, August 21, 2010, three days early. 

Phase 2 – Begins September 7, 2010 – immediately following rush hour, at approximately 9:00 a.m. I-40 will be reduced to one 11 ft. travel lane in each direction. The two left (inside) lanes of I-40 will be closed at the Riverside Drive interchange. Ramps will be open so that west and eastbound traffic may exit to Front Street and Riverside Drive. All Wide loads will be diverted to the Memphis-Arkansas I-55 Bridge.  

 

Phase 3 – mid-October through the week of November 15 – I-40 will remain open to just one 11 ft. travel lane in each direction.  For phase three, the two right (outside) lanes will be closed and the I-40 westbound entrance ramp from Front Street and Riverside Drive will be closed. All wide loads and over height loads will be diverted to I-155 in Dyersburg with the closure of the westbound entrance ramp.

I-55 at Crump Interchange Ramp Closures and Detours - In conjunction with Phase 2 and 3 the loop ramp that carries Westbound Crump Boulevard traffic onto Southbound Interstate 55 will be closed. Motorists will be detoured onto Florida Street to South Parkway back to Interstate 55 South. Also closed will be the loop ramp that carries Southbound Interstate 55 traffic onto Northbound Riverside Drive. Motorists will be detoured onto Florida Street to Georgia Avenue to Riverside Drive.

 

The I-40 Bridge crossing the Mississippi River is a vital structure for traffic and freight movement in America. Around 45,000 – 50,000 vehicles use the bridge each day. Located just 60 miles south of the New Madrid Fault, this nearly 40-year old bridge is being reinforced to withstand a magnitude 7.0 earthquake. The closest detour, if both the I-40 and I-55 bridges in Memphis were closed, would be the I-155 Bridge 85 miles to the north in Dyer County or the U.S. 49 Bridge 85 miles to the south between Helena, Mississippi and West Helena, Arkansas.  TDOT is constructing this project in partnership with the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. The federal government is providing 80% of the funding with Tennessee and Arkansas sharing the remaining 20%.

For more information on this project visit the project web page at www.tn.gov/tdot/i40hd/default.htm.

 

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For More Information Contact:

Nichole Lawrence

Region 4 Community Relations Officer

731.935.0318