MEMPHIS, Tenn. — If you use busy Poplar Avenue to get to work, do errands or anything else, listen up.
Closures will start on Poplar and Interstate 240 started Wednesday, including a complete closure of the main thoroughfare this weekend to make way for construction of a new railroad bridge over I-240.
Crews are using a technique called accelerated bridge construction technique, which WREG reported in March. Crews are assembling a lot of the new bridge next to the interstate, and starting next weekend they’ll move it into place.
It’s a relatively new process that can have both risks and rewards.
In an incident in South Florida earlier this year, a new pedestrian bridge installed using the ABC technique collapsed, killing six people underneath.
At the time, we asked Tennessee Department of Transportation about their plans to use ABC in Memphis.
They responded in part by saying, “The (Florida) bridge appears to be a unique design, with the final support columns and the suspension cables yet to be installed.”
They went on to say the Memphis project requires complete road closures and a rigorous inspection process.
TDOT said it will rely on advice from the National Transportation Safety Board. But even though the federal agency released a preliminary report in May, it didn’t reach any conclusions about the Florida case.
We were unable to reach TDOT representatives today to ask about potential modifications.
According to TDOT, closures are scheduled as follows:
* Wednesday, July 11 and Thursday, July 12 each night from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. – Poplar Avenue westbound at I-240 will have intermittent lane closures with one lane remaining open. The I-240 eastbound ramp to Poplar Avenue westbound will be closed. I-240 will remain open.
* Monday, July 16 through Thursday, July 19, each night from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. – I-240 westbound will have a lane closed and the Poplar Avenue ramps to I-240 westbound will be CLOSED.
The FULL CLOSURES are as follows:
* Friday, July 13, 9 p.m. until Monday, July 16, 6 a.m. – Poplar Avenue eastbound will be closed at the I-240 interchange. I-240 will remain open.
* Friday, July 13, midnight until Monday, July 16, 6 a.m. – Poplar Avenue westbound will be closed at the I-240 interchange. The I-240 eastbound ramp to Poplar Avenue westbound will be closed. I-240 will remain open.
* Friday, July 20, 9 p.m. until Monday, July 23, 6 a.m. – FULL CLOSURE of I-240 east and westbound and Poplar Avenue east and westbound.
* Friday, July 27, 9 p.m. until Monday, July 30, 6 a.m. – FULL CLOSURE of I-240 east and westbound and Poplar Avenue east and westbound.
As many Memphis drivers know, Poplar Avenue is busy on any given day.
“I would say it’s probably one of the most important streets in Memphis,” Nabil Ahlhauser said.
But next week, the Tenn. Department of Transportation is starting a major bridge construction project that will close the thoroughfare on weekends starting July 13. See the full schedule above.
“The weekend is definitely better than the work day,” Austin Thaler said.
To install the bridge, the state is using a technique where they assemble it on the side of the road and then put it in place during a shortened time period. It’s called Accelerated Bridge Construction.
“I’ve never heard of it. I guess it’s neat as long as it’s safe,” Aundrea Landrum said.
But that’s the question that remains unanswered after an incident at Florida International University in March 2018 when a new pedestrian bridge installed using the ABC technique collapsed and killed six people underneath.
“I do remember something like that,” Landrum said. “That’s a little scary. I hope they’ve looked into it and figured out what was the cause.”
WREG asked TDOT in March about their plans to use ABC in Memphis. They responded in part: “The FIU bridge appears to be a unique design, with the final support columns and the suspension cables yet to be installed.”
They went on to say the Memphis project requires complete road closures and a rigorous inspection process.
TDOT also said it would follow any advice the National Transportation Safety Board gleaned from the Florida investigation. But so far, it’s only released a preliminary report.
