Hernando de Soto Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hernando de Soto Bridge |
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Hernando de Soto Bridge photographed from the Memphis Pyramid
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| Coordinates | 35°09′10″N 90°03′50″W / 35.15278°N 90.06389°W |
| Carries | 6 lanes of  I-40 |
| Crosses | Mississippi River |
| Locale | Memphis, Tennessee, and West Memphis, Arkansas |
| Other name(s) | The M Bridge, Memphis Bridge, Mississippi Bridge, New Bridge |
| Maintained by | TDOT and ARDOT |
| ID number | 79I00400001 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | tied arch, through arch |
| Material | Steel |
| Pier construction | Concrete |
| Total length | 9,432.6 feet (2,875 m) |
| Width | 90 feet (27 m) |
| Longest span | 900 feet (274 m) |
| Clearance below | 109 feet (33 m) |
| History | |
| Construction begin | May 2, 1967 |
| Opened | August 2, 1973 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 37,308 (2018) |
The Hernando de Soto Bridge is a special kind of bridge called a tied-arch bridge. It carries Interstate 40, a major highway, over the mighty Mississippi River. This bridge connects West Memphis, Arkansas, with Memphis, Tennessee.
People in Memphis often call it the "New Bridge" because it was built after another bridge nearby. They also call it the "M Bridge" because its unique shape looks like a giant letter "M" stretching across the river. It's a very important link for travel and trade between the two states.
Contents
Building the "M Bridge"
How the Bridge Was Planned
Planning for this big river crossing started way back in 1960. Engineers and officials were figuring out the best path for Interstate 40 through the area. Before the Hernando de Soto Bridge was finished, all traffic had to use the older Memphis & Arkansas Bridge, which was about 2 miles away.
At first, the states of Tennessee and Arkansas had some disagreements. They argued about how much each state should pay for the bridge. Tennessee has more people, so Arkansas thought Tennessee should pay more. They finally agreed that Tennessee would pay 60% and Arkansas 40%. They also had different ideas about how the bridge should look.
Construction and Opening Day
Construction of the Hernando de Soto Bridge began on May 2, 1967. It was a huge project that took several years to complete. The bridge finally opened to cars on August 2, 1973. A special ceremony was held on August 17, 1973, to celebrate its opening. The bridge cost about $57 million to build.
The bridge is named after Hernando de Soto, a Spanish explorer from the 1500s. He explored this part of the Mississippi River long ago.
Lighting Up the Night Sky
For many years, the bridge was lit up at night by 200 special lights along its "M" shape. These lights made the bridge shine brightly, starting on September 5, 1986. Sometimes, if river boats had trouble seeing because of the lights reflecting on the water, the city could turn them off for a short time.
In 2018, the old lights were replaced with a brand new LED lighting system. This new system can show many different colors and patterns. It can even sync up with the lights on the nearby Harahan Bridge! Both bridges now create a beautiful light show over the river, part of a project called "Mighty Lights."
Keeping the Bridge Strong and Safe
The Hernando de Soto Bridge is located near the New Madrid Seismic Zone, an area where earthquakes can happen. Because of this, between 2000 and 2015, the bridge went through a big project called a "seismic retrofit." This means engineers made the bridge much stronger to help it stand up to a powerful earthquake, like the ones that happened in the area in 1811-1812. This project helps protect the bridge, which is a vital route for cargo and traffic.
A Crack in the Beam (2021)
On May 11, 2021, during a routine check, inspectors found a serious crack in one of the main support beams, called a tie girder. This crack was very dangerous because the beam was crucial for holding the bridge up. To keep everyone safe, the bridge was immediately closed to all cars and river traffic.
Engineers worked quickly to fix the problem. They put strong steel plates on both sides of the damaged beam. After careful inspections, the bridge was slowly reopened. The eastbound lanes opened on July 31, 2021, and the westbound lanes on August 2, 2021. While the bridge was closed, drivers had to use other bridges to cross the river.
Later, investigators found old photos from 2016 and drone footage from 2019 that showed damage in the same spot. This meant the crack had been there for a while. Engineers studied the problem and found that the crack was caused by some old, poorly done weld repairs from when the bridge was first built. They concluded that it was very unlikely for a similar major crack to happen again.
Images for kids
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The Hernando de Soto Bridge seen from Martyrs Park in Memphis.
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Driving across the Hernando de Soto Bridge into Memphis.
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A view looking up at the bridge from the river.
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The underside of the bridge.
See also
In Spanish: Puente Hernando de Soto para niños
- List of crossings of the Lower Mississippi River
