MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Crews working on the Interstate 40/Hernando DeSoto Bridge seismic retrofit project have begun the process of reducing I-40 to one lane in both directions.


The bridge over the Mississippi will be reduced to one lane in each direction until mid-November to allow workers to install large seismic bridge joints near Exit 1. This is phase 2 of a three-phase project to seismically retrofit the bridge to withstand a magnitude 7.7 earthquake.
 
Phase 1, which included the replacement of a large seismic joint on one of the bridge piers near Exit 1, was completed three days early.
 
Phase 2 - Begins this week: I-40 is being reduced to one 11-foot travel lane in each direction.  The two left (inside) lanes of I-40 will be closed at the Riverside Drive interchange. Ramps will be open so that west and eastbound traffic may exit to Front Street and Riverside Drive. All wide loads will be diverted to the Memphis-Arkansas I-55 Bridge. 
 
Phase 3 - mid-October through the week of November 15: I-40 will continue to be reduced to one 11-foot lane in each direction. The two right (outside) lanes will be closed. The I-40 westbound entrance ramp from Front Street and Riverside Drive will also be closed. All wide loads and over height loads will be diverted to I-155 in Dyersburg with the closure of the westbound entrance ramp.
 
Also beginning this week are several ramp closures along I-55 at Crump Boulevard. The loop ramp that carries westbound Crump Boulevard traffic onto southbound Interstate 55 will be closed until mid-November and motorists will be detoured onto Florida Street to South Parkway and back to Interstate 55 South. Also closed is the loop ramp that carries southbound Interstate 55 traffic onto northbound Riverside Drive.
 
For more information, go to www.tn.gov/tdot/i40hd