Tennessee Department of Transportation
John Schroer, Commissioner

The I-40 crossing over the Mississippi River is a vital structure for the traffic and freight in America. In the early 1990’s TDOT partnered with the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department to begin the seismic retrofit of the Hernando DeSoto Bridge. The first project began in 2000, and several phases have been completed. The seismic retrofit is designed to protect this bridge and its approaches in the case of an earthquake of up to 7.7 on the Richter Scale. This crossing is located less than 100 miles from the New Madrid Fault line, the same fault that led to the 1811 earthquake which formed Reelfoot Lake. It is one of only two crossings of the Mississippi near Memphis and serves as a major cargo and traffic connection across the river. The loss of this structure during an earthquake would have a huge impact on America’s economy. Our completed work is in excess of $175 million and we anticipate $75 to $80 million more. The contract is federally funded at 80% with 20% split between Tennessee and Arkansas (TDOT - 60% and AHTD - 40%). Completion is contingent on available funds in both Arkansas and Tennessee.

Detour route for Eastbound Exit 1: Continue on I-40 E to Exit IB at Danny Thomas Boulevard, then follow detour on Poplar Avenue to Front Street and Riverside Drive. Click here for larger view.

Crews working to seismically retrofit the I-40/Hernando DeSoto Bridge over the Mississippi River in Memphis have safely and successfully installed five of six seismic bridge joints and have now removed the last old bridge joint. All three new seismic expansion joints are now in place on the westbound side. Crews are finalizing the work on the westbound piers and continue to work to replace the bridge railing this week. Once the bridge railing is back in place the deck will be restriped for traffic. On the eastbound side, crews have safely installed two new seismic expansion joints and have poured the concrete bridge deck around both new joints. The contractor has removed the final existing expansion joint; with structural steel components of the new seismic expansion joint being installed. Final preparations for the eastbound side will include replacing the bridge rail and restriping for traffic.

Updated: 10/22/2010

Stage 1 of the big seismic joint replacement work on Pier E3 begins August 3, 2010. The Eastbound, Exit 1 ramp that goes to Front Street , Riverside Drive, and the Welcome Center will be closed for 3 weeks. To accommodate local traffic there will be detours to Exit 1B at Danny Thomas Blvd. From there the detour route will use Poplar Avenue, Front Street, and Jefferson Avenue.

The seismic joint replacement continues on September 7, 2010, for Piers E3, E6, and E12. The LEFT (inside) lanes of I-40 will be closed at the Riverside Drive interchange. Only one 11’ lane will be open in each direction. Ramps will be open so that Westbound and Eastbound traffic may exit to Front Street and Riverside Drive. Wide loads will be diverted to the Memphis-Arkansas I-55 Bridge. Beginning October 5, 2010 wide and high loads will be diverted to I-155 in Dyersburg, TN with the closure of the westbound entrance ramp 1 being closed for 6 weeks.

Stage 3 the seismic joint replacement continues in mid October closing the RIGHT (outside lanes) Only one 11’ lane will be open in each direction. During this time, the entrance ramp from Front Street and Riverside Drive will be closed.

Beginning October 5, 2010 wide and high loads will be diverted to I-155 in Dyersburg, Tennessee with the closure of westbound entrance ramp one for six weeks.