I-40 Bridge over the Mississippi River Reduced to One Lane In Both Directions

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Crews working on the Interstate 40/Hernando DeSoto Bridge seismic retrofit project have now begun the process of reducing I-40 to one lane in both directions. The bridge over the Mississippi will be reduced to one lane in each direction until mid-November to allow workers to install large seismic bridge joints near Exit 1. This is phase 2 of a three phase project to seismically retrofit the bridge to withstand a magnitude 7.7 earthquake.

 

Phase 1, which included the replacement of a large seismic joint on one of the bridge piers near Exit 1, was completed three days early.

 

Phase 2 – Begins today – I-40 is being 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 loadswill be diverted to the Memphis-Arkansas I-55 Bridge. 

 

Phase 3 – mid-October through the week of November 15 – I-40 will continue to be reduced to one 11 ft. lane in each direction. The two right (outside) lanes will be closed. The I-40 westbound entrance ramp from Front Street and Riverside Drive will also 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.

 

Also beginning today are several ramp closures along I-55 at Crump Boulevard. The loop ramp that carries westbound Crump Boulevard traffic onto southbound Interstate 55 will be closed until mid-November and motorists will be detoured onto Florida Street to South Parkway and back to Interstate 55 South. Also closed is 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.

 

TDOT has created a project website, http://www.tn.gov/tdot/i40hd/, to keep the public informed about the project.

 

I-40 crossing the Mississippi River is a vital structure for traffic and freight movement in America. TDOT, in partnership with the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, is retrofitting the bridge to withstand a magnitude 7.7 earthquake. Construction on the seismic retrofit began in 2000 and six phases of the work is complete. 
 

For up-to-date travel information visit the TDOT SmartWay website at http://www.tn.gov/tdot/tdotsmartway/ or dial 5-1-1 from any land-line or cellular phone.  TDOT is also on Twitter. For traffic alerts in the Memphis area follow @Memphis511 on Twitter or follow @TN511 for statewide updates.

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