GRAPHICS: Tennessee (left) and Arkansas (right) had 881 and 663 bridges classified as “structurally deficient” in 2020, respectively. That means one of the key elements was in poor or worse condition. Nationally, neither state is an outlier, as both are around the median in terms of the number of deficient bridges.
By Dr. Joshua Hurwitz, senior economist, ARTBA
What’s happening: About 40,000 vehicles per day are being detoured from the Interstate 40 bridge over the Mississippi River between Tennessee and Arkansas due to ongoing repairs to a cracked steel support beam discovered May 11. The disruption is expected to continue at least through July.
Why it matters: The bridge is a critical commercial and commuter route. The closure “…has completely crippled our city in so many different ways, from just the quality of life to the economic impact,” West Memphis, Arkansas Mayor Marco McClendon said in a June 17 Wall Street Journal article that referenced analytics from ARTBA’s annual Bridge Report. The I-40 bridge received a “satisfactory” rating in 2020, as the crack initially went unnoticed.
Since May 11, the average daytime speed on the Interstate 55 bridge, where traffic is being rerouted, has decreased by about 60 percent. Commuters between West Memphis and Memphis, Tennessee have reported peak driving times of more than three hours for what is typically a 10-minute trip.
The economic ripple effects have spread rapidly, especially due to Memphis’s importance as a national distribution hub. The Arkansas Trucking Association estimates daily losses of about $2 million in that industry, while the slowdowns impose broader costs on the entire supply chain amid a surge in bottled-up demand from the pandemic. Local businesses from restaurants to dentistry practices are reporting revenue declines because of the congestion.
The bigger picture: This episode illustrates how the economic and social well being of an entire region can depend on the safe functioning of a single bridge. It underscores an essential national need to invest in maintaining our bridges.
