Traffic Report: I-40 Closed at West Memphis till Further Notice

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The iron bridges over the Des Plaines River on I-80 in Joliet were declared structurally deficient and doomed to imminent collapse like 2 years ago and they're still open.
 
A crack has been discovered on the bridge connecting Memphis and West Memphis.

All I-40 Traffic is being diverted to the I-55 bridge

Detour route suggested by Arkansas Department Of Transportation as follows..

"
Arkansas drivers headed east on I-40 should take Exit 5 to I-55 to cross the Mississippi River into Memphis, the Department of Transportation said in a news release.

Tennessee drivers headed west on I-40 should take the I-55 bridge across the Mississippi River to cross into Arkansas, then take Exit 4 to access I-40 westbound. "

Updates may be monitored at IDriveArkansas.com.
 
That will be a super congested mess. Already too much traffic on that side funneling into one lane for 55.
 
Update.

Massive crack in the structural beam.

Coast Guard has also closed off area to barge traffic..

"
Besides the bridge closure and increasing traffic jams in the area, the US Coast Guard closed a portion of the lower Mississippi River near the bridge. There are "16 vessels with a total of 229 barrages in the queue," the coast guard said in a statement.


When officials were asked when the bridge could reopen, Paul Degges, TDOT Chief Engineer, said, "right now, we don't know the answer to those questions. Certainly, it's plausible that this could be MONTHS rather than WEEKS."

 
So they're going to shut down the Mississippi River, all that barge traffic hauling corn and soybeans, and coal for power plants, all summer, over a broken beam that could be welded & reinforced (relatively) easily.
 
So they're going to shut down the Mississippi River, all that barge traffic hauling corn and soybeans, and coal for power plants, all summer, over a broken beam that could be welded & reinforced (relatively) easily.
I think just along that section with the crack.

They might be worried a barge might hit that section with the crack and whole bridge goes under
 
I think just along that section with the crack.

They might be worried a barge might hit that section with the crack and whole bridge goes under
So everything north of Memphis has no access to the gulf.

Barges need to get up to Chicago and St Louis, and the quad cities, to/from the gulf. They regularly haul in coal for power plants and grain for export.

You saw the logistics problems caused by the Suez Canal blockage that only lasted a few days.

They're talking months, because of this cracked beam.
 
So everything north of Memphis has no access to the gulf.

Barges need to get up to Chicago and St Louis, and the quad cities, to/from the gulf. They regularly haul in coal for power plants and grain for export.

You saw the logistics problems caused by the Suez Canal blockage that only lasted a few days.

They're talking months, because of this cracked beam.
I guess Warren Buffetts railroads will make more record profits.

Off the Great Lakes they could put it on freighters and sail it through the St Lawrence seaway
 
They're talking months, because of this cracked beam.

Cracked? It’s absolutely broken. Good chance other areas have been compromised as a result.

You don’t make these kinds of repairs with duct tape and bubble gum.
 
Cracked? It’s absolutely broken. Good chance other areas have been compromised as a result.

You don’t make these kinds of repairs with duct tape and bubble gum.
No you use things like arc welders. Or nuts and bolts. They work much better. 🙄
 
That beam isn't carrying much vertical load on a suspension bridge. There's no need to keep the river closed once they make sure nothing else is compromised.
 
Had loads of fun going west to east today.

About 90 minutes from 5 miles west of the 40/55 split to the one lane 55 south ramp.

If all drivers ran radios and would work together, it probably wouldn’t be too bad.

Go to 17 for the Iceman.

Crossroads is on 23.

Had a blast. Key up and help a fellow trucker. You know your schedule is blown, so enjoy the SNAFU.
 
This is what concerns me most. Road traffic can detour but barges on the river can't.

How long are they going to pretend this bridge will fall the minute a barge passes harmlessly underneath.

The beam has been broken long enough for rust to form on the break, and it had over 30,000 vehicles crossing it every day after it was broken and it didn't collapse.

Keep in mind, this is not a blockage of the river like the Suez canal. The river is impassable only by act of government.

I wonder how much gasoline (if any) gets shipped up to the midwest via that river, in addition to the coal that runs our power plants.

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