The I-40 bridge in Memphis (new bridge) shut down until further notice...
- Thread starter DesotoCountyDawg
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Memphis area folks- I have to go from Tupelo to Jonesboro tomorrow afternoon. What is traffic like trying to get over I55 bridge or should I go to dyersburg and cross over I155 bridge? That route is 55 miles longer but I would rather do that than sit for an hour or so trying to cross in Memphis.
According to google map traffic, the problem isn't going from Memphis to Arkansas. It's getting back into Memphis from Arkansas that is dark red for a long ways back to the west.
I suppose it could depend on time of day - whether traveling west is a problem or not.
I suppose it could depend on time of day - whether traveling west is a problem or not.
Just look at some of the AR traffic cams here..
Click the link. Zoom in on Memphis.... then click the camera icon on bottom right and click through some of the traffic cams.
The traffic at the 55/40 interchange is brutal. I would absolutely go Jonesboro > Brinkley > Helena > Batesville before I got into that mess.
https://idrivearkansas.com/
Click the link. Zoom in on Memphis.... then click the camera icon on bottom right and click through some of the traffic cams.
The traffic at the 55/40 interchange is brutal. I would absolutely go Jonesboro > Brinkley > Helena > Batesville before I got into that mess.
https://idrivearkansas.com/
Going west isn't much of a problem. Heavier than usual traffic (Obviously) but it moves at a decent pace. BBQ fest is going on so there may be additional slowdowns around I-55/Riverside. If you are coming back during the weekend, I'd chance I-55 but if you think you might hit weekday rush hour I'd go thru Dyersburg.
Going, you will be alright going through Memphis. Rush hour will be head east in the afternoon. However, To avoid I55 backup near the bridge on ramp, you can jump off I55 at 3rd street. Go north to Crump blvd. Turn left (west) and that takes you right onto the I55 bridge and you avoid the I55 backup below the on ramp for the bridge.
Coming back, Maybe you can avoid some I40/55 traffic in West Memphis but jumping off I55 at Marion at the 64 exit. Turn left (east) under interstate. Mound city rd takes you around Marion and West Memphis and leads you back to I55. Maybe that is a work around.....if every other driver hasn't thought of that. CHeck your google maps traffic. BUt Mound City Rd will take you all the way around that I40/55 connector in West Memphis and usually there is no traffic on that road.
Coming back, Maybe you can avoid some I40/55 traffic in West Memphis but jumping off I55 at Marion at the 64 exit. Turn left (east) under interstate. Mound city rd takes you around Marion and West Memphis and leads you back to I55. Maybe that is a work around.....if every other driver hasn't thought of that. CHeck your google maps traffic. BUt Mound City Rd will take you all the way around that I40/55 connector in West Memphis and usually there is no traffic on that road.
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I didn’t realize until yesterday (when our CEO sent out a kudos email) that the 3 inspectors that found it work for my company.
I bumped the thread to share this scary nugget: this phase of the inspection was only scoped to inspect everything above the deck. The next phase was going to be the below deck inspection (with the boom trucks). Thank goodness the inspectors were observant and caught it.
911 call from the inspectors to Memphis after they had notified ARDOT:
https://wreg.com/news/frantic-911-calls-from-i-40-bridge-inspectors-reveal-seriousness-of-situation/
I bumped the thread to share this scary nugget: this phase of the inspection was only scoped to inspect everything above the deck. The next phase was going to be the below deck inspection (with the boom trucks). Thank goodness the inspectors were observant and caught it.
911 call from the inspectors to Memphis after they had notified ARDOT:
https://wreg.com/news/frantic-911-calls-from-i-40-bridge-inspectors-reveal-seriousness-of-situation/
The bridge isn't part of it but it is surprising how blindly stupid you are to the rest of it. At some point you have to stop living in fantasy land
2019 Photo appears to show crack in I-40 Bridge then
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — UPDATE: 11:40 a.m., May 2021
Arkansas Department of Transportation confirmed earlier evidence of damage was found in drone footage from 2019.
When did the damage occur on the I-40 bridge? It may never be clear exactly when it happened, but one Twitter user took to social media to say it dates back at least to July 2019.
Pictures posted on Twitter show an image of the bridge with what appears to show the damage circled in red.
David Manasco is the user behind the Twitter post.
He tagged TDOT and ARDOT with the caption: “Well the I-40 crack started well before the 2019 inspection. Here is a shot I took in July 2019. You can see the crack was quite extensive at that point. Curious why this wasn’t caught in Aug 2019 inspection.”
FOX13 reached out to Manasco and he sent us the original, full-resolution file.
The metadata from the original file said the picture was taken in July 2019.
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