Truckers traveling through Arkansas will want to make note of a significant detour heading into the weekend.
According to the Arkansas Department of Transportation, all lanes of the I-55 Mississippi River Bridge will be closed from Saturday, Nov. 15, through Sunday, Nov. 16. The department said the closure is needed in order to allow crews to make bridge repairs.
“This closure will allow crews to repair the bridge’s finger joints,” the department said in a statement. “Finger joints are large bridge joints comprised of metal interlacing ‘fingers’ that allow for the expansion and contraction needed for longer bridge spans.”
Officials said that I-55 will be closed beginning at Exit 1, Bridgeport Road, in Arkansas. The Interstate will be reduced to one lane ahead of the closure, beginning at Exit 4, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive/Highway 38, in Arkansas. The closure will extend through Exit 12, Crump Boulevard/Riverside Drive, in Tennessee.
Arkansas DOT said the southbound lanes of the interstate are expected to reopen on Sunday evening. However, the northbound lanes of I-55 will remain closed until Tuesday, Nov. 18. Traffic will continue to be detoured during that time, with the northbound lanes expected to reopen around 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
A signed detour will be in place during the closure, with message boards posted to notify drivers. The department is encouraging motorists to use the I-40 Mississippi River Bridge as an alternate route.
Up-to-date traffic information in Arkansas can be found here. LL
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