Oct 18th 2024 | Posted in Infrastructure, Opportunities, Transportation by Government Contracting Pipeline

Photo by Antony-22

The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) and Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) are collaborating on an approximately $800 million project to replace the Interstate 55 bridge. The project recently moved into the design phase after the departments jointly selected an architect. Although a construction timeline has not been set, both agencies anticipate procuring a construction manager or general contractor (CM/GC) for the next stage of the project.

The bridge, also known as America’s River Crossing, is 75 years old and requires modernization to address crash rates, traffic issues and mobility challenges. The completed bridge will be able to handle increased capacity, estimated to carry 64,000 vehicles per year by 2050.

The 1.5-mile project will be a cable-stay system, utilizing up to three pylons with piers every 160 feet. The Arkansas side of the bridge will be 3,000 feet in total length, ending at the tie-down pier of the main span river crossing bridge. The cable stay bridge length will be between 2,400 and 2,800 feet, leading into the 950-foot Memphis side connecting to the nearby interchange.

The bridge will feature two 12-foot main lanes, one 12-foot auxiliary lane and 10-foot inside and outside shoulders in each direction. Plans include realigning the on- and off-ramps to connect with interchanges and roadways on either side of the river. The project will also realign 1,200 feet of a road on the Arkansas side to maintain access to a nearby trail.

The replacement bridge will meet modern seismic code to be earthquake-resistant and achieve safety requirements. In addition, the project will retain shared-use paths to ensure pedestrians and bicyclists can still access nearby trails. Once finished, the project will mitigate future maintenance costs, enhance freight movement and improve multimodal connectivity.

Both ARDOT and TDOT received a $394 million award in July through the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Bridge Investment Program to advance the project. The departments will commit up to $250 million each to cover the remainder of the project’s cost.