Westbound lanes of the Interstate 40 bridge between Arkansas and Tennessee are expected to reopen this afternoon, Aug. 2. Eastbound traffic on the bridge reopened Saturday night, July 31.
The bridge was closed in May when an inspector found a large crack in a steel support beam.
Aside from fixing the crack that was identified, transportation repair crews also strengthened the bridge by repairing an additional 16 steel plates.
Ramps previously closed along I-40 westbound will be reopening. The ramp from Metal Museum Drive to I-55 south will remain closed. The currently closed right lane from Riverside Drive to I-55 south will also remain closed. All other ramps around the I-55 and Crump interchange will be reopening.
TDOT, ArDOT, and law enforcement agencies will closely monitor both river crossings as traffic returns to normal. Authorities continue to ask motorists to pay attention to the interstate DMS, portable message boards, and SmartWay for specific traffic information. TDOT HELP trucks will begin to resume normal activities after the bridge is open.
