Natural State News

Sen. John Boozman (R-Arkansas) recently convened a phone call between members of the Arkansas and Tennessee Congressional delegations and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to discuss the repairs of the 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 between Arkansas and Tennessee and is currently under federal investigation.

“I appreciate Secretary Buttigieg’s willingness to discuss the I-40 bridge closure in more detail and his commitment to work with the Arkansas and Tennessee Departments of Transportation," Boozman said. "This critical artery for the region must be safely reopened as soon as possible. Working together, we can mitigate continued disruption to commerce and transportation needs along this corridor.”

Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Arkansas) took to social media to concur with the senator and voice his appreciation for Boozman's efforts.

"I’m appreciative of Sec. Buttigieg as well as my Arkansas and Tennessee colleagues’ time and energy on repairing one of the largest economic hubs in America," Crawford wrote in a May 14 Twitter post. " It is vital to our national security that commercial traffic regain access to one of the most efficient and widely used transportation routes from the east coast to west coast."

Buttigieg assured members that the DOT is working closely with both states’ transportation departments to ensure bridge repairs will be conducted safely and efficiently, and that DOT would keep lawmakers apprised of repairs.

During a recent Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Boozman used the incident as a real-world example of the importance of investment in core infrastructure such as roads and bridges.