MEMPHIS, Tenn. — If you live or work on Mud Island, take note — the A.W. Willis Bridge over the Wolf River harbor will be shut down starting Monday.
The closure is expected to last at least a week as crews rebuild the deteriorated railroad crossings and the base of the bridge.
During the closure, the only way on or off Mud Island will be North Mud Island Road from Second Street.
A lot of drivers now like to slow down quite a bit as they cross these tracks to make it easier on their tires and other parts of their vehicles.
“It’s definitely going to be a big relief, because I can feel my car shaking every time I cross that thing,” Mud Island resident Anjana Nityanandam said.
Once work is done the tracks will be more even with the ground, making for a smoother ride.
Sam Goodwin says the crossing has cost him a flat tire. Even so, he wasn’t thrilled to hear about the closure.
“They’re going to close that bridge down for a week? Oh great, I’d rather put up with the tracks, seriously.”
But after thinking about it, he says the fix is worth a week of driving the long way.
The project will also help re-establish the Riverfront Loop of MATA’s trolley service.