Bridge over Mississippi River closed for 9 hours, then reopened

The approach span for the Interstate 40 bridge was still supported by other piers, so the most motorists might have noticed was a slight dip, said Randy Ort, a spokesman for the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department.

Engineers closed the span just after morning rush hour after finding a pier near the river had settled 3-1/2 inches.

Tennessee Department of Transportation spokeswoman Pamela Marshall said the traffic was moving in both directions on the eastbound span. The span had recently undergone improvements while the westbound span carried traffic.

After Monday’s discovery on the westbound side, both spans were closed and traffic diverted to the nearby Interstate 55 bridge. The westbound span remained closed.

Ort said the problem was likely caused by additional, longer pilings being driven to improve the bridge’s stability. While crews worked beneath one half of the bridge, the other half was carrying 35,600 vehicles daily.

River bridges have been under scrutiny across the country since the Aug. 1 collapse of the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis killed 13 people. That bridge was undergoing repairs when it fell during the evening rush hour, dropping dozens of cars more than 60 feet into the Mississippi.

Workers have been improving bridges along I-40 to make them safer in case of earthquakes. The New Madrid fault runs through the area.