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Information:
The Hernando de Soto Bridge is a tied-arch bridge carrying the six lanes of Interstate 40 across the Mississippi River. The design is a continuous cantilevered cable-stayed steel through arch, with bedstead endposts. This bridge is of similar construction to the Sherman Minton Bridge which crosses between Louisville, Kentucky, and New Albany, Indiana.
This Arch bridge is also called by many in Memphis, the New Bridge simply because it is newer than the bridge just to the south that carries IH 55 across the Mississippi river. Too, it is known as the M Bridge due to the distinctive M shape of the steel twin arches.
The bridge is named for 16th century Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, who explored this stretch of the Mississippi River and died south of Memphis.
Driving Directions:
The bridge is located over the Mississippi River and carries IH 40 from West Memphis, Arkansas to Memphis, Tennessee.
Location:
Coordinates:
35.15308373, -90.0648771
Elevation:
310 feet
Bridge Specification
Bridge Type:
Steel Cable-stayed Tied, Through Arch Concrete Deck Bridge
Concrete Pier
Date Construction:
02 May 1967
Date Open:
02 August 1973
Replaced:
Old route over IH 55 bridge to the south.
Total Length:
9432.6 feet
Deck Width:
90 feet
Main Span Length:
900 feet
Total Height:
Crosses:
Mississippi River
Clearance Above:
(Vehicle Clearance) 18.6 feet.
Clearance Below:
(Vessel Clearance) 109 feet.
Cost to Build:
$57.0 million
(equal to $269 million in 2023)
Cost to Repait:
$10.00 million
Serious Fracture was found in May 2021, closing the bridge down for repair. The fracture was in the Tied portion of the structure of the bridge, which is a horizontal girder between the three structural support locations under the bridge.
The repair began with bolting steel plates over the fracture, which then allowed boat traffic to resume just days later. The permanent repair was similar to the temporary one, which involved the installation of steel plates to reinforce the tied girder. Reinforcements were chosen over the alternative of replacing a section of the tied girder, because the chosen fix was quicker to install and more cost effective.
Emergency repairs were completed over the summer of 2021 and the bridge and the river are once again open to traffic.
The tells me that Tied Arch bridges can be risky due to their non-redundant design. Too, methinks that I might be a little nervous the next time I drive across this bridge. Further, for now, methinks that this will be a good opportunity for me to look elsewhere for a bridge to cross the Mississippi, one which I have not yet been able to photograph.
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