ArDOT: Photo from 2019 drone video showed damage in fractured area of I-40 bridge prior to 2019 inspection

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The Arkansas Department of Transportation says a May 2019 video shows the fracture in the I-40 bridge over the Mississippi River prior to the September 2019 inspection.

ArDOT confirms an image captured by an inspector’s drone shows damage in the same area of the fracture that shut down the bridge earlier this week.

According to ArDOT, video shows the damage on the lower side of the bridge. The agency is now investigating if that damage was noted in the September 2019 inspection report and, if so, what actions were taken.

The WMC Action News 5 Investigators reviewed the 2019 inspection earlier this week. Records show different parts of the bridge received different ratings.

The deck was in “good” condition while the structure supporting the bridge was in “fair” condition.

A bridge is rated “fair” when the structure is sound but may have cracking, minor section loss, breaking or erosion.

ArDOT did not provide images from the 2019 video.

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