Hernando de Soto Bridge

Infobox Bridge
bridge_name= Hernando de Soto Bridge


caption= Hernando de Soto Bridge and the Memphis skyline photographed from the Arkansas side.
official_name=
also_known_as= M Bridge, New Bridge
carries= 6 lanes of I-40
crosses= Mississippi River
locale= West Memphis, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee
maint=
id= 79I00400001
design= Through arch bridge
mainspan= convert|900|ft|m|0 each
length= convert|19535|ft|m|0
width= convert|90|ft|m|0
clearance=
below= convert|109|ft|m|0 (varies some due to river level)
traffic= 35,000
open= August 2, 1973
closed=
toll=
map_cue=
map_

map_text=
map_width=
coordinates= coord|35|09|10|N|90|03|50|W|display=inline,title

The Hernando de Soto Bridge is a through arch bridge carrying Interstate 40 across the Mississippi River between West Memphis, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee. It is often called the "M Bridge" as the arches resemble the letter M. Memphians also call the bridge the "New Bridge"Fact|date=June 2008, as it is newer than the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge (carrying Interstate 55) downstream.

The bridge is named for 16th century Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto who explored this stretch of the Mississippi River, and died south of Memphis. His body was believed to have been buried in the Mississippi River after his death (although, according to legend, his body lay at the bottom of Lake Chicot in Arkansas, an oxbow lake of the Mississippi River about 130 miles south of Memphis.)

On August 27, 2007, an inspector discovered that a bridge pier on the approach bridge west of the river had settled overnight, and the bridge was subsequently closed to perform a precautionary inspection. The bridge was reopened later that day. [cite news
coauthors = Chris Conley, Richard Locker
title = Bridge reopens after review
url = http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2007/Aug/27/28bridge/
work = Commercial Appeal
location = Memphis, TN
date = 2007-08-27
accessdate = 2008-04-21 ]

ee also

*List of crossings of the Lower Mississippi River

References

External links

*

Crossings navbox
structure = Crossings
place = Mississippi River
bridge = Hernando de Soto Bridge
bridge signs =
upstream = Caruthersville Bridge
upstream signs =
downstream = Harahan Bridge
downstream signs = "Union Pacific Railroad"