I-55 bridge closes for weekend repairs
CRITTENDEN CO., Ark. (WMC) - All lanes of the Interstate 55 (I-55) Mississippi River Bridge will be closed over the weekend, according to the Arkansas Department of Transportation.
Lanes will be closed on Saturday, Nov. 15, and Sunday, Nov. 16.
Crews will repair the bridge’s finger joints, which are large bridge joints made out of metal interlacing “fingers” that allow for the expansion and contraction necessary for longer bridge spans.
If the weather permits, I-55 will close at Exit 1 (Bridgeport Road) in Arkansas.
Before the closure, I-55 will be reduced to one lane at Exit 4 (Martin Luther King Jr. Drive/Highway 38). The closure will continue to Exit 12 (Crump Boulevard/Riverside Drive) in Tennessee.
The southbound lanes of I-55 will reopen Sunday evening, while the northbound lanes remain closed until Tuesday. Northbound traffic will continue to use the detour during this time frame.
Dates and times of the closure are as follows:
- I-55 South: 12:01 a.m. Saturday, November 15, through 8 p.m. Sunday, November 16
- I-55 North: 12:01 a.m. Saturday, November 15, through 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 18
A signed detour will be in place and drivers are encouraged to use the Interstate 40 Mississippi River Bridge as an alternate route.
Drivers traveling across state lines say the detour added several minutes to their day.
“We noticed a sign that said the I-55 was out, so we ended up having to catch I believe 240 and go around the alternate,” says Arkansas resident Harry White.
“I’d imagine it puts a lot of people late for work and is just dangerous,” says David Lee, who stopped in West Memphis on his way to the Gulf Coast. “I hope they hurry and get it fixed.”
Click here to sign up for our newsletter!
Click here to report a spelling or grammar error. Please include the headline.
Copyright 2025 WMC. All rights reserved.
