Coast Guard lifts Mississippi River waterway restriction

Tennessee Department of Transportation released this photograph of the crack in the I-40 bridge.

The Coast Guard today lifted a waterway restriction that had been in place from Mile 736 to Mile 737 on the Mississippi River, in the vicinity of the I-40 bridge in Memphis, Tenn.

The restriction was put in place Tuesday after the Arkansas Department of Transportation discovered a crack near the center span of the bridge.

At the time the closure was imposed, there were 16 vessels with a total of 229 barges in the queue to pass under the bridge. By the time the waterway was reopened there were 62 vessels and 1,058 barges in the queue.

“Based on information provided to us by the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the Coast Guard has determined that transit under the I-40 bridge is safe for maritime traffic,” said Coast Guard Capt. Ryan Rhodes, Captain of the Port of Memphis. “We appreciate the cooperative efforts of both the Tennessee and Arkansas Departments of Transportation, as well as maritime port partners, to ensure the safety of our waterway.”