If you want near-daily updates on the repairs of the Hernando DeSoto Bridge, follow the City of West Memphis on Facebook.
The city provides regular updates on the repairs, which range from general updates for the public to technical, in-the-weeds descriptions of the work being done, and images of the work you won’t likely see anywhere else. It all makes the city’s Facebook page a go-to site if you want to know what’s going on out there.
For example, on Monday the city said the “contractor is making significant progress on the repairs.” For true bridge-repair enthusiasts, the city noted that “in-depth ultrasonic weld testing inspections of the I-40 bridge” were continuing Monday.
On Tuesday, the page offered that “both PT weldments/anchors were delivered this weekend and are being installed. The first anchor is 50 percent complete. Installation of the second anchor will start as soon as today. Steel-strengthening plates and splice plates for the permanent repair are being fabricated.”
Sounds like forward motion, to this layman, anyway.
But another piece of information is easier to understand, especially for anyone using I-55.
“A second lane was added over the weekend to the I-55 southbound ramp to help alleviate some congestion and advance flow through the Crump Interchange,” the city reported on Facebook. “Crews also repaired some damaged pavement on I-55 northbound.”
