MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) said Friday, June 28, 2024, that a bridge has collapsed in Coldwater, months after it was closed for repairs.
Coldwater is about 45 miles northwest of Memphis in Cross County.
ARDOT said the Highway 42 Bridge over the St. Francis River was closed to traffic in November 2023 after weaknesses were identified with the piling – the columns supporting the bridge.
ARDOT said an engineering consultant had been working to determine the best course for repairs, which began this summer.
Investigators said it is “too early to know the contributing factor that led to the collapse” of the 56-year-old wooden bridge.
Traffic in this area will continue to use the detour that has been in place since the bridge closure last fall:
- Traffic traveling east on Highway 42 from Birdeye will be detoured south on Highway 75 then east on Highway 64 to the intersection of Highway 149. From the intersection of Highway 149 and Highway 64, traffic will be detoured north on Highway 149 to the intersection of Highway 42.
- Traffic traveling west on Highway 42 will be detoured south on Highway 149 to the intersection of Highway 64 at Earle then west on Highway 64 to the intersection of Highway 75. From the intersection of Highway 64 and Highway 75, traffic will be detoured north on Highway 75 to the intersection of Highway 42.