File photo
File photo
Gov. Asa Hutchinson met with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in Memphis on May 17 to update the public on the status of the closed Interstate 40 Hernando de Soto bridge.
The bridge was closed after a major crack in a steel support beam was discovered on May 11, according to ABC 24 News. The closure will significantly delay travel and commercial traffic for the two states and is under federal investigation.
"I appreciate the invitation from Gov. Bill Lee to discuss the I-40 bridge today in Memphis," Hutchinson wrote in a May 18 social media post. "I have great confidence in the officials from the Arkansas Department of Transportation and the Tennessee Department of Transportation to quickly assess this situation, ensure public safety, and safely reopen the bridge."
A day before the two governors met, Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) Director Lorie Tudor announced the lead inspector who was responsible for missing the crack during 2019 and 2020 inspections had been removed from that position. The crack was discovered by another inspector who was responsible for checking the bridge's cables and upper portion.
TDOT Commissioner Clay Bright said it could take months before the bridge could be reopened for traffic. Repair work is scheduled to begin this week, with a contractor from Nebraska leading the operation.
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