TDOT hears residents’ concerns about I-55 bridge plans
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Transportation held an open house meeting Thursday for residents as the state is proposing a replacement bridge for I-55.
Kevin Phipps works with the Shelby County government, but right now he says he is a concerned former French Fort resident.
“I just wanted to see how this was going to affect the neighborhood, because we currently have the Crump project going on where they are routing the traffic, and at that time we had issues with the trucks coming through,” Phipps said.
TDOT to hold meeting to discuss replacing I-55 bridge
Phipps joins crowds of people looking to catch a peak on the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s I-55 replacement bridge project, “America’s River Crossing.”
It’s an undertaking that is set to retire the 75-year-old I-55 bridge and replace it with a stronger one connecting Shelby and Crittenden County.
“A proposed new bridge would have two 12-foot travel lanes. What you’re traveling now are two 10-foot travel lanes with very narrow shoulders,” said Nichole Lawrence, TDOT’s regional communications officer.
TDOT is partnering with Arkansas’s Department of Transportation. Both are still waiting for grant approval.
Tennessee has already put up its part of $250 million towards the project as it waits for approval. The goal right now is to educate.
While people were learning about the new I-55 Bridge proposal, the topic of safety kept coming up, which is why officials kept pointing to their required safety measures for earthquake resistance.
“We’re really close to that New Madrid fault line, so if there was some sort of significant earthquake event that bridge would like come tumbling down,” Lawrence said.
Memphis mayor says he will seek tax increase
Images of the Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore are still fresh in some minds, so hearing about these increased safety measures was received well.
“It’ll make us feel safer when we cross the bridge,” said French Fort resident Rosie Eppenger. “It will take some of our traffic off of the 40 interstate.”
WREG asked what will come of the old 55 bridge once the replacement has been built.
“So what happens to the older bridge is still up in the air, but yes it will eventually close once that proposed bridge is built and open,” Lawrence said.
WREG has learned that the timeline for approval for the federal grant is pending, but they may have a decision by this summer.
The next information session is set to be held next Thursday at the Eugene Woods Civic Center.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
