Adding to the logistical chaos rippling through the country is a bridge closure across the Mississippi River between West Memphis, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee due to a fracture in the frame, according to local news WREG.
After a routine inspection Tuesday, officials with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced that the Hernando de Soto Bridge would be closed due to a crack on the bottom side of the bridge truss.
The bridge carries traffic on I-40 over the Mississippi River between Memphis, Tennessee, and West Memphis, Arkansas. Figures from 2018 showed the bridge carries about 37k vehicles per day. The closure of the bridge has created a logistical nightmare for the metro area.
Here are some alternative routes if the I-40/Hernando de Soto Bridge shutdown in Memphis affects your travel plans – from @Local24Chelsea — More info: https://t.co/faqroxL9jE pic.twitter.com/lU4gRdo7Xy
— Local 24 News (@LocalMemphis) May 12, 2021
Besides the bridge closure and increasing traffic jams in the area, the US Coast Guard closed a portion of the lower Mississippi River near the bridge. There are “16 vessels with a total of 229 barrages in the queue,” the coast guard said in a statement. – READ MORE
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