Stupp Bridge in BG helps repair cracked bridge connecting Arkansas and Tennessee

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- A crack has shut down the Interstate 40 bridge connecting Arkansas and Tennessee,  and now a company in Bowling Green was chosen to help repair it. 

Stupp Bridge was contacted last week by the Steel Construction Institute to see if they had the special bridge material necessary for the bridge repairs. 

Vice President and General Manager Derek Clemons said that they did have this steel specifically used for bridges and the project took off from there. 

“Initially the pieces we are making are part of the Phase 1 repair. That will basically patch the bridge to allow them to replace the beam that’s fractured so it will happen in two steps. But what we are doing right now will allow them to actually replace the beam that is fractured in the bridge,” said Clemons. 

The crack had been missed twice by an inspector, and that prompted the closure. That inspector has since been fired. The closure of the bridge is causing major traffic jams for the hundreds of thousands of people that cross it weekly. 

“It’s causing a huge disruption to life in that area, to people who are trying to cross the Mississippi,” said Clemons. 

Truckers are ready for the road to be repaired.

Clemons said they don’t have an exact date when the bridge will be up and running again, but said they are working around the clock to get the parts done. 

“It’s a big deal. We take a lot of pride in building bridges that last our lifetime and that’s what we do, we build bridges that are shipped to about a 600 mile radius from here,” said Clemons.