The Mississippi River bridge is set for closure this weekend.
According to a news release from the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT), all lanes of the Interstate 55 Mississippi River Bridge will be shut down on Saturday and Sunday to allow crews to perform bridge joint repairs.
“Weather permitting, I-55 will be closed beginning at Exit 1 (Bridgeport Road) in Arkansas,” the release stated.
Prior to the closure, I-55 will go down to one lane at Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive/Highway 38 (Exit 4) and extend to Crump Boulevard/Riverside Drive (Exit 12) in Tennessee.
While southbound lanes of I-55 will reopen on Sunday, northbound lanes will not be opened until Tuesday. Northbound traffic will continue to use detours.
I-55 south will close from 12:01 a.m. on Saturday Nov. 15 thought 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16 while northbound will close at the same time but open again at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
ARDOT says there will be sign detours in place and is urging motorists to use the Interstate 40 bridge.
The closure will allow crews to repair the bridges finger joints which are described by ARDOT as “large bridge joints comprised of metal interlacing fingers that allow for the expansion and contraction needed for longer bridge spans.”
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
