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Dive Brief:
- a new one It is planned to build a bridge across the Mississippi River that will connect Memphis, Tenn., and West Memphis, Arkansas, Tenn., Gov. Bill Lee announced July 12. Known as the America’s River Crossing Project, the new section will strengthen one of the nation’s busiest commercial corridors.
- Earlier in the day, the US DOT informed Congress of its plans to send the $393.75 million project through the Jobs and Infrastructure Investments Act. The two states will also contribute about $250 million each, according to the news release from the governor’s office, bringing the total estimated cost of the bridge to nearly $900 million.
- The current Memphis-Arkansas I-55 is 75 years old and lies on the New Madrid Fault, making it vulnerable to earthquakes. It will be demolished and replaced with a larger structure that meets modern seismic codes.
Diving knowledge:
On Wednesday, the The US DOT announced $5 billion in IIJA grants to fix or replace 13 of the nation’s most economically significant bridges, including the Memphis project. The aim is to strengthen the country’s supply chains and address traffic and freight bottlenecks.
The Memphis I-55 bridge marks the largest transportation investment in Tennessee history, according to a statement from the governor’s office, and will improve regional and national connectivity. It is one of only two Mississippi River crossings in Memphis.
The other stretch, I-40, was closed for more than three weeks in 2021 to repair a crack in a support beam. While catastrophe was averted, the incident disrupted traffic and underscored the urgency of fortifying the two structures.
“The new I-55 bridge will not only improve safety and efficiency, but also improve multimodal connectivity and strengthen our economic vitality by facilitating smoother freight movement and improving accessibility in our region,” he said Read in the press release.
Currently, environmental studies and field work are underway, according to the project’s website. By 2050, the new bridge is expected to carry about 64,000 vehicles per day, significantly higher than the current 48,000 vehicles, according to the project’s website.
