Skip to main content

The Mississippi River Bridges of Memphis, TN: An Introduction

Image
By

Welcome to the gateway page for Gribblenation’s series on the bridges of the lower Mississippi River in Memphis, TN! Here you will find links to information about the four bridges that span the river at Memphis. The bridges of Memphis were constructed during the period between the height of the railroad era in the 1890s and the height of the modern interstate highway era of the 1970s. Each has a unique story to tell and all play a vital part in the transportation system of the northern Mississippi Delta.


From left to right, the Harahan Bridge (1916), Frisco Bridge (1892), and Memphis & Arkansas Bridge (1949) combine to create one of the most impressive bridge-related visuals on the Mississippi River.

Frisco Bridge
The Frisco Railroad Bridge was built in 1892 and was the first bridge built across the lower Mississippi River. It is therefore the oldest standing bridge on the lower river.


Frisco Bridge (1892)

Harahan Bridge/"Big River Crossing"
The Harahan Bridge was built immediately upriver in 1916 and is also a railroad bridge. Built to supplement the Frisco Bridge as a railroad crossing, it was also the first bridge at Memphis to feature roadways (or “wagonways”) for automobile traffic. The former roadway on the north side of the structure was revitalized and opened as a pedestrian and bicycle trail in 2016 as the “Big River Crossing”.


Harahan Bridge/"Big River Crossing"(1916/2016)

Memphis & Arkansas Bridge
The Memphis & Arkansas Bridge was built immediately downriver in 1949 and was the first bridge at Memphis to be purpose-built for vehicle traffic. The bridge is part of Interstate 55 and a slew of US Highways. These first three bridges are located within a few hundred feet of one another and are an impressive sight to take in – one of the most spectacular bridge-related sights on the Mississippi River.


Memphis & Arkansas Bridge (1949)

Hernando de Soto Bridge
The Hernando de Soto Bridge was built in 1973 across from downtown Memphis and serves as an additional vehicle crossing of the river that supplements the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge a short distance downriver. The signature M-shaped bridge is part of Interstate 40 and gained national attention in 2021 for a failed inspection that resulted in a full closure of the bridge for a period.


Hernando de Soto Bridge (1973)

Links to Gribblenation Articles:

Frisco Bridge (1892)

Harahan Bridge/"Big River Crossing" (1916/2016)

"Walking In Memphis", feat. Big River Crossing

Memphis & Arkansas Bridge (1949)

Hernando de Soto Bridge (1973)

How To Get There:


Bridges, Crossings, and Structures of the Lower Mississippi River
Return to the Bridges of the Lower Mississippi River Home Page
__________________________________________________
Labels:
Location: Memphis, TN, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Crescent City Connection (New Orleans, LA)

By
The Crescent City Connection is a massive dual-span steel truss bridge that spans the lower Mississippi River at downtown New Orleans, about 95 river miles upstream from the mouth of the great river at the Head of Passes Light. If counted as a single bi-directional highway bridge, the parallel spans combine to form the single busiest bridge on the Mississippi River and its importance as a linchpin in the region’s transportation network cannot be overstated. While there have been various schemes over the years to construct bridges downriver from Algiers Point, this bridge has been the southernmost bridge on the Mississippi River since its initial construction in the 1950s. The years immediately following the end of World War II were a transformational period in the history of New Orleans. Already one of the great economic and cultural centers of the American Deep South, it was recognized at this time that major changes and improvements to the city’s transportation infrastructure would b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Old US Route 99 through Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch

By
This summer I had a look into the alignment history of US Route 99 through the Tulare County communities of Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch.  While this slab below might seem like much it is one of the few remaining reminders of how US Route 99 was during the 1920s in Tulare County. This blog is part of the larger Gribblenation US Route 99 Page.  For more information pertaining to the other various segments of US Route 99 and it's three-digit child routes check out the link the below. Gribblenation US Route 99 Page Part 1; the history of US Route 99 in Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch Tipton and Tulare were both founded in 1872 as sidings of the Southern Pacific Railroad.  The Southern Pacific Railroad laid the groundwork for development of southern San Joaquin Valley.  Previous to the Southern Pacific Railroad travel via wagon or foot in Central California tended to avoid San Joaquin Valley in favor of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road.  The Stockton Los Ange...
Post a Comment
Read more

Former US Route 101 and California State Route 41 through Paso Robles

By
Paso Robles is a city located on the Salinas River of San Luis Obispo County, California.  As originally configured the surface alignments of US Route 101 and California State Route 41 converged in downtown Paso Robles.  US Route 101 originally was aligned through Paso Robles via Spring Street.  California State Route 41 entered the City of Paso Robles via Union Road and 13th Street where it intersected US Route 101 at Spring Street.  US Route 101 and California State Route 41 departed Paso Robles southbound via a multiplex which split near Templeton.   Pictured above is the cover of the September/October 1957 California Highways & Public Works which features construction of the Paso Robles Bypass.  Pictured below is the 1935 Division of Highways Map of San Luis Obispo County which depicts US Route 101 and California State Route 41 intersecting in downtown Paso Robles.   Part 1; the history of US Route 101 and California State Route 41 i...
Post a Comment
Read more