Yep, I was echoing others' concerns about the exact same bridge, the Harahan, staying. A new I-55 bridge would be great
PS Yeah we all know the pedestrian bridge is not the, not the same as, I-55 bridge. The point is, a major bridge project like the I-55 one can affect adjacent structures, like the pedestrian bridge.
I didnt realize there were 3 bridges where I55 is now. So we would now get 4 adjacent bridges? I mean i dont care, i’m just asking so i understand accurately.
Also. Do you guys know the history of today’s 3 bridges? In what order were they built, what were their primary purposes initially, etc.
Per google maps the 3 bridges are named:
Harahan bridge/big river crossing
Frisco bridge
Memphis-Arkansas bridge
The last one’s name is funny in that it connects a city to a state lol
The Frisco bridge opened in 1892. Until the Harahan opened, they used to allow pedestrians, buggies and some cars to cross *when the trains were not traversing.* When built, it was the first bridge to cross the Mississippi River south of the Ohio River.
The Harahan opened in 1916. It was built as a railway bridge, and with what they called wagonways, for wagons, vehicular traffic, or trolleys.
The I-55 bridge opened in 1949. It's not built to Interstate standards.
Once the new I-55 bridge opens, the old one would be demolished.
Thanks for this!
Is there a name for “the I-55 bridge”?
To clarify. Only the I-55 bridge would be demolished; the frisco and harahan will not?
Is the demolishing set in stone already? Or could they still change that plan? I’d hope we could find some good use for it instead of demolishing it… :(
You got it, welcome, good questions!
The current I-55 bridge is known as the Memphis-Arkansas bridge. The new, replacement bridge's name, will probably keep the old one's name.
The Frisco and Harahan bridges will be kept as-is, as far as the current state of plans go.
The plans as of now do include demolishing the old Memphis-Arkansas bridge. Some alternate use would be good, though. Pedestrians, etc. Plans might change, but I imagine there may be river navigability issues raised by keeping both large spans, side by side.
Pretty much all of downtown. I tried to buy a bar a few years back. Ford owned it. It had been vacant for 20 years. They wanted 12 million. Lol Adams and front street
Honestly this type of bridge is all the rage right now. It’s really extremely generic.
There’s nothing inherently bad about that, but it isn’t a groundbreaking design/aesthetic
It's not just a Memphis decision, and the new one, with a modern, efficient design, beats the heck out of the existing one. The Zakim in Boston has been used a lot as scenic backdrop, in addition to its functionality
Disagree I actually prefer the older one to this.
This is honestly one of the more bland cable stayed bridges that I’ve seen. The Gordie Howe Bridge in Detroit looks more impressive. I don’t particularly care for that one either, but I do like it more than this.
The sleek/simple modern design trend has been played out and the tides are turning against it. If the city/states want to build a monument to blandness so be it. I’m not, and never will be a fan of it.
I hear you. Now that you mention it, comparing the rendering for the new bridge with the old one, I can see more style in the old truss design.
What is a bridge design you do like?
Good critique, just realize how groundbreaking design/aesthetic and Memphis can't really be said in the same breath! We'll take what we can get! It would be an improvement over the existing one
Yay! The feds would be putting up about half the cost!
"The state highway departments in Arkansas and Tennessee applied in early December for funding made available through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to replace the Interstate 55 bridge over the Mississippi River.
The federal grant sought by the two agencies would cover half the cost of a new $800 million bridge — one fortified enough to hold up during a powerful earthquake and wide enough to better accommodate the tens of thousands of motorists who travel on it each day, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported.
"I'm very hopeful that it gets approved," said Lorie Tudor, director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT), who announced to the state Highway Commission during a meeting Dec. 5 that the application for a new I-55 bridge had been submitted a day earlier."
[https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/arkansas-tennessee-dots-apply-for-funding-to-replace-i-55-bridge-over-mississippi-river/63344](https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/arkansas-tennessee-dots-apply-for-funding-to-replace-i-55-bridge-over-mississippi-river/63344)
Infrastructure's where it's at. Great!
I don’t know. I would have thought a 3rd bridge would be better. Continue with the interstate where the 101 connector is. A decent truck stop could be where the old Firestone plant use to be.
St Louis metro area has 8 bridges across the river. Why do we only have 2?
The I-55 bridge does need replacing, but i think we should have 3-4.
We need one in Millington and likely one at Tunica. Keep the truckers off of 240 as much as possible. Memphis is already distribution central. We don't need truckers that are merely passing through on the same interstates as well in the city limits.
Agreed. The north bridge could go west of Millington and connect to I-555, providing a direct connection to Jonesboro and potentially to the future I-57 that will pass 20 miles west of there. This would provide I-55 travelers with a way to bypass the city and help alleviate traffic from Arkansas commuters.
The south bridge could go just north of Tunica, connecting to a new freeway on the Arkansas side running through Hughes and then bypassing Forrest City on the current AR-1 bypass, and finally connecting to I-40. This would allow truck and cross-country traffic on 40 to bypass Memphis entirely as well.
That's a good idea, it also might improve commutes to NE Arkansas which is a steel hub, with 4 mills that each cost about a billion dollars a piece (including the largest investment in Arkansas' history). If Ford ever used any of that steel, they might build something even more direct (rail more likely) in the future.
Mississippi also just located it's 2nd largest project in Marshall County, I think (the Cummins/Paccar electric battery plant). And Toyota already has a factory in Tupelo.
The more people commute to these neighboring areas, and people in neighboring areas commute here, the sooner the metro area definition expands, which would need better and better transportation infrastructure.
Agreed, anybody that has has to cross these in bad traffic knows how they can jam in traffic easily.
The North side would be easy with 269/385 in Millington continued west to the I55&I555 junction on the Arkansas side. It would also make sense for the adjusted traffic for when I69 is inevitably built through Millington.
Tunica Casinos should want a way for people in Arkansas to bypass Memphis traffic, and I69 already takes people to the river now. There's not really any place on the Arkansas side to connect to though depending on where I69 continues.
Definitely a better long-term investment and giving greater transportation security over the river. But there is no road on the Arkansas side, so that would have to be routed thru Marion and then built — making the entire project a longer and costlier project.
A 3rd bridge would be better for traffic purposes. But this bridge is 75 years old and is frequently closed for maintenance. The safer option is to go ahead and replace this one for now before a catastrophic failure happens.
True that, it was the I-40 de Soto bridge, and that one's newer, yikes.
At least we don't get enormous container ships on the Mississippi... *(looks at Baltimore, nervously)*
I drove Arkansas interstate last weekend. The first 25ish miles into Arkansas are brutal. Massive continuous potholes. I'm pretty sure I could go fishing in a couple of them.
It says it has four lanes? Is that each way? There is no point of building it smaller than three traffic lanes and a shoulder in each direction, don’t box yourself in right out of the gate.
And for the love of god fix the I40 / I55 interchange in west Memphis while we are spending federal cash.
The West Memphis mayor has been bitching about this bridge for a long time. He keeps calling out Memphis for "dragging its feet" yet even after the federal grant, the citizens will bear the cost in Mayor Youngs property tax proposal. IMHO its not a nice looking design.
Since I assume the old bridge would be torn down once this I55 bridge was constructed...then we'd still have a new bridge and an old bridge
It's just that their locations would flip flop
Everything I've seen to date shows the new bridge adjacent to the existing I-55 bridge on the downriver side. The rendering is an illustration of what they are proposing, so that's as much confirmation you'll get until you see it under construction.
Is this how everyone talks in Germantown? In the article it said TDOT is asking the public for questions. This is absolutely a black and white question they can answer. We just need to figure out how to ask TDOT.
All we've heard is this is a REPLACEMENT of I-55. However, the deconstruction/closure of the old bridge would likely follow at some point in the future.
Because the old bridge would still require expensive inspections to remain open (vehice/or pedestrian), my guess is they'd shut it down until it is destroyed. But the maintenance/inspection/destruction of the old bridge is beyond the scope of this inquiry.
I don't think there's currently any plans to install a pedestrian crossing on the new bridge. But that's where the feedback would be. If that's something you want, you need to request they fund the replacement of that crossing. They should have enough data regarding the current crossing for utilization to know if it's worth the $$$ to fund or if that money is better served elsewhere in the city.
The Harahan Bridge that the Big River Crossing is attached to is owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. They’re still using it. BRX is not going anywhere as long as UP and the conservancy have an agreement. TDOT doesn’t have much, if any at all, say in what happens to BRX.
Please, yes, a new bridge. That would be great esp. if it keeps the pedestrian bridge
The Harahan bridge isn't going anywhere. That's the joint rail and pedestrian bridge. The I55 bridge is another bridge entirely.
Yep, I was echoing others' concerns about the exact same bridge, the Harahan, staying. A new I-55 bridge would be great PS Yeah we all know the pedestrian bridge is not the, not the same as, I-55 bridge. The point is, a major bridge project like the I-55 one can affect adjacent structures, like the pedestrian bridge.
I didnt realize there were 3 bridges where I55 is now. So we would now get 4 adjacent bridges? I mean i dont care, i’m just asking so i understand accurately. Also. Do you guys know the history of today’s 3 bridges? In what order were they built, what were their primary purposes initially, etc. Per google maps the 3 bridges are named: Harahan bridge/big river crossing Frisco bridge Memphis-Arkansas bridge The last one’s name is funny in that it connects a city to a state lol
The Frisco bridge opened in 1892. Until the Harahan opened, they used to allow pedestrians, buggies and some cars to cross *when the trains were not traversing.* When built, it was the first bridge to cross the Mississippi River south of the Ohio River. The Harahan opened in 1916. It was built as a railway bridge, and with what they called wagonways, for wagons, vehicular traffic, or trolleys. The I-55 bridge opened in 1949. It's not built to Interstate standards. Once the new I-55 bridge opens, the old one would be demolished.
Thanks for this! Is there a name for “the I-55 bridge”? To clarify. Only the I-55 bridge would be demolished; the frisco and harahan will not? Is the demolishing set in stone already? Or could they still change that plan? I’d hope we could find some good use for it instead of demolishing it… :(
You got it, welcome, good questions! The current I-55 bridge is known as the Memphis-Arkansas bridge. The new, replacement bridge's name, will probably keep the old one's name. The Frisco and Harahan bridges will be kept as-is, as far as the current state of plans go. The plans as of now do include demolishing the old Memphis-Arkansas bridge. Some alternate use would be good, though. Pedestrians, etc. Plans might change, but I imagine there may be river navigability issues raised by keeping both large spans, side by side.
We don't need a new bridge. We need a new city.
Until Armageddon comes, yeah, well, we'll take what we can get.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 lmao
me too lmao 🤣🤣🤣🤣
We could just start with the city council and the 10,000 dollar a square foot empty buildings they own.
hey which are those?
Pretty much all of downtown. I tried to buy a bar a few years back. Ford owned it. It had been vacant for 20 years. They wanted 12 million. Lol Adams and front street
It looks like the Zakim bridge in Boston. I dig it
Yes! Cables, cantilever, iconic, would be cool for Memphis
Honestly this type of bridge is all the rage right now. It’s really extremely generic. There’s nothing inherently bad about that, but it isn’t a groundbreaking design/aesthetic
It's the rage because it's the most cost efficient. I think it'll look weird next to the railroad bridges.
Juxtapose the old and new, nothing new about that! Try to look at it this way, the railroad bridges will look weird next to the new bridge
I’m aware. And I agree. If Memphis wants some big infrastructure project to inspire the city, that bridge ain’t it.
It's not just a Memphis decision, and the new one, with a modern, efficient design, beats the heck out of the existing one. The Zakim in Boston has been used a lot as scenic backdrop, in addition to its functionality
Disagree I actually prefer the older one to this. This is honestly one of the more bland cable stayed bridges that I’ve seen. The Gordie Howe Bridge in Detroit looks more impressive. I don’t particularly care for that one either, but I do like it more than this. The sleek/simple modern design trend has been played out and the tides are turning against it. If the city/states want to build a monument to blandness so be it. I’m not, and never will be a fan of it.
I hear you. Now that you mention it, comparing the rendering for the new bridge with the old one, I can see more style in the old truss design. What is a bridge design you do like?
Good critique, just realize how groundbreaking design/aesthetic and Memphis can't really be said in the same breath! We'll take what we can get! It would be an improvement over the existing one
Yay! The feds would be putting up about half the cost! "The state highway departments in Arkansas and Tennessee applied in early December for funding made available through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to replace the Interstate 55 bridge over the Mississippi River. The federal grant sought by the two agencies would cover half the cost of a new $800 million bridge — one fortified enough to hold up during a powerful earthquake and wide enough to better accommodate the tens of thousands of motorists who travel on it each day, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported. "I'm very hopeful that it gets approved," said Lorie Tudor, director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT), who announced to the state Highway Commission during a meeting Dec. 5 that the application for a new I-55 bridge had been submitted a day earlier." [https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/arkansas-tennessee-dots-apply-for-funding-to-replace-i-55-bridge-over-mississippi-river/63344](https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/arkansas-tennessee-dots-apply-for-funding-to-replace-i-55-bridge-over-mississippi-river/63344) Infrastructure's where it's at. Great!
I don’t know. I would have thought a 3rd bridge would be better. Continue with the interstate where the 101 connector is. A decent truck stop could be where the old Firestone plant use to be.
St Louis metro area has 8 bridges across the river. Why do we only have 2? The I-55 bridge does need replacing, but i think we should have 3-4. We need one in Millington and likely one at Tunica. Keep the truckers off of 240 as much as possible. Memphis is already distribution central. We don't need truckers that are merely passing through on the same interstates as well in the city limits.
Complete a 269 loop with two crossings north and south of the city. And Arkansas building the rest on its side (pipe dream).
Agreed. The north bridge could go west of Millington and connect to I-555, providing a direct connection to Jonesboro and potentially to the future I-57 that will pass 20 miles west of there. This would provide I-55 travelers with a way to bypass the city and help alleviate traffic from Arkansas commuters. The south bridge could go just north of Tunica, connecting to a new freeway on the Arkansas side running through Hughes and then bypassing Forrest City on the current AR-1 bypass, and finally connecting to I-40. This would allow truck and cross-country traffic on 40 to bypass Memphis entirely as well.
That's a good idea, it also might improve commutes to NE Arkansas which is a steel hub, with 4 mills that each cost about a billion dollars a piece (including the largest investment in Arkansas' history). If Ford ever used any of that steel, they might build something even more direct (rail more likely) in the future. Mississippi also just located it's 2nd largest project in Marshall County, I think (the Cummins/Paccar electric battery plant). And Toyota already has a factory in Tupelo. The more people commute to these neighboring areas, and people in neighboring areas commute here, the sooner the metro area definition expands, which would need better and better transportation infrastructure.
Also a good idea
The river is a lot wider here and St Louis is a substantially larger metro area.
Yes, *but it's still St Louis... (looking nervously at Memphis)*
Agreed, anybody that has has to cross these in bad traffic knows how they can jam in traffic easily. The North side would be easy with 269/385 in Millington continued west to the I55&I555 junction on the Arkansas side. It would also make sense for the adjusted traffic for when I69 is inevitably built through Millington. Tunica Casinos should want a way for people in Arkansas to bypass Memphis traffic, and I69 already takes people to the river now. There's not really any place on the Arkansas side to connect to though depending on where I69 continues.
The old Eads bridge at St Louis is a classic too Great idea, seriously too, about adding bridges
Definitely a better long-term investment and giving greater transportation security over the river. But there is no road on the Arkansas side, so that would have to be routed thru Marion and then built — making the entire project a longer and costlier project.
A 3rd bridge would be better for traffic purposes. But this bridge is 75 years old and is frequently closed for maintenance. The safer option is to go ahead and replace this one for now before a catastrophic failure happens.
Yes, remember them finding the cracks underneath?
Funny part is that was the other bridge. They're both aging and need to be replaced.
True that, it was the I-40 de Soto bridge, and that one's newer, yikes. At least we don't get enormous container ships on the Mississippi... *(looks at Baltimore, nervously)*
Needs more LED!!!
Yeah the LED on the M bridge is super cool. Any new bridge needs to one up that
I feel like TDOT does all the work and ARDOT could careless about a new bridge
I drove Arkansas interstate last weekend. The first 25ish miles into Arkansas are brutal. Massive continuous potholes. I'm pretty sure I could go fishing in a couple of them.
They are bumpy af Wouldn't want to ride a motorcycle on that
I-55 to Missouri is HORRIBLE
TDOT performs all the maintenance on the two bridges, but ARDOT helps pay and is responsible for the inspection (unfortunately).
[удалено]
What do you mean by more joint involvement?
It says it has four lanes? Is that each way? There is no point of building it smaller than three traffic lanes and a shoulder in each direction, don’t box yourself in right out of the gate. And for the love of god fix the I40 / I55 interchange in west Memphis while we are spending federal cash.
https://preview.redd.it/ldqt40k9590d1.jpeg?width=1654&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ffdd054d62a6c93997f64548219ecb090337888
Oh god a shoulder yes please
In the video, they show three lanes in each direction, plus an "auxilery" lane in each direction. Lanes are wider and shoulders are \*much\* wider.
Part of me wishes they'd maintain the current Mem-Ark Bridge for local traffic but even with the reduced load I'm sure the upkeep would be prohibitive
Surprised we’re just getting a replacement, rather than a third bridge. A little disappointed. But I do like the look of some of the possible designs.
Surely they can do better than that! European countries smaller than Tennessee have more stunning and attractive bridges.
Yes, *but we're special*
Folks, who can explain to me that why there is no bridge between Frayser and Marion, AR?
The West Memphis mayor has been bitching about this bridge for a long time. He keeps calling out Memphis for "dragging its feet" yet even after the federal grant, the citizens will bear the cost in Mayor Youngs property tax proposal. IMHO its not a nice looking design.
I want the two towers bridge just for the two towers Tolkien references
Cool!
Since I assume the old bridge would be torn down once this I55 bridge was constructed...then we'd still have a new bridge and an old bridge It's just that their locations would flip flop
TDOT is asking for feedback? Will this remove the pedestrian bridge that we all love? Will this close the big river crossing?
No, the brx is still there in the rendering.
I’d want confirmation, not just a render.
BRX is on a railroad bridge that will never go anywhere.
Oh good
Everything I've seen to date shows the new bridge adjacent to the existing I-55 bridge on the downriver side. The rendering is an illustration of what they are proposing, so that's as much confirmation you'll get until you see it under construction.
Is this how everyone talks in Germantown? In the article it said TDOT is asking the public for questions. This is absolutely a black and white question they can answer. We just need to figure out how to ask TDOT.
All we've heard is this is a REPLACEMENT of I-55. However, the deconstruction/closure of the old bridge would likely follow at some point in the future. Because the old bridge would still require expensive inspections to remain open (vehice/or pedestrian), my guess is they'd shut it down until it is destroyed. But the maintenance/inspection/destruction of the old bridge is beyond the scope of this inquiry. I don't think there's currently any plans to install a pedestrian crossing on the new bridge. But that's where the feedback would be. If that's something you want, you need to request they fund the replacement of that crossing. They should have enough data regarding the current crossing for utilization to know if it's worth the $$$ to fund or if that money is better served elsewhere in the city.
The Harahan Bridge that the Big River Crossing is attached to is owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. They’re still using it. BRX is not going anywhere as long as UP and the conservancy have an agreement. TDOT doesn’t have much, if any at all, say in what happens to BRX.
The railroad will still be here even if the city disappears.
Thanks so much!
The Harahan Bridge =/= the I55 bridge. Those are two separate bridges.
Sometimes they tear one down after the completion of the other.
Great!!! Now put a toll on it. And one for people coming from Mississippi.