On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced it had awarded nearly $394 million to the Tennessee Department of Transportation for the I-55 bridge between Memphis, Tenn., and West Memphis, Ark.
The America’s River Crossing Project will replace the 75-year-old I-55 bridge over the Mississippi River, officials said, enhancing safety and improving operations along the bridge’s corridor for both local and regional traffic. Additionally, the project will help national freight connections by adding capacity, streamlining traffic flow and correcting geometric deficiencies, the agency said.
The funding, part of the FHWA’s competitive Bridge Investment Program, is part of a larger announcement made earlier this week that awarded more than $5 billion in Large Bridge Project grants to 13 bridge projects in 16 states.
“For too long, America let bridges fall into disrepair, which left people less safe, disrupted our supply chains, and cost people time and money – but now the Biden-Harris administration is changing that with the biggest investment in our bridges since the Eisenhower era,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “There are currently about 3,000 fewer bridges in poor condition than when our administration began, and today we are proud to announce funding to repair or replace 13 of America’s largest and economically significant bridges.”
TDOT said the bridge is the largest transportation investment in the state’s history – four times larger than any previous project in the state.
“None of this would have been possible without the bold leadership of Governor Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly, whose historic allocation of a $3 billion General Fund investment enabled TDOT to leverage vital federal and peer-state funding,” Deputy Governor and Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Butch Eley said. “We also owe immense gratitude to our Tennessee Congressional delegation for their support of this project… Together, with our partners in Arkansas and the Memphis community, we are committed to making this transformative project a reality.”