States partner with federal government for Memphis bridge replacement

The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced a landmark federal investment of $400 million to fund half the cost of replacing the 75-year-old Interstate 55 Bridge, also known as the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge in a project known as America's River Crossing. The project will bring together the U.S. Department of Transportation and states of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi to replace the bridge over the Mississippi that provides vital economic and transportation connections. The states of Tennessee and Arkansas will each be contributing $250 million toward the project as well. These investments demonstrate a collaborative effort to fund this bridge replacement and meet infrastructure needs of the region. By 2050, the state-of-the-art bridge will be able to accommodate approximately 64,000 vehicles daily, above the 48,000 it presently accommodates.