MEMPHIS, Tenn. — You may have seen pictures of another bridge crack causing concern only this one can be seen from below a bridge on I-240 from the Greenline.
It's generated quite a buzz, but I'm told as scary as this looks it's not an uncommon thing on bridges.
This crack in the I-240 bridge crossing the Shelby Farms Greenline may look to you like a disaster waiting to happen.
It's, in fact, the result of a roadway expansion project by TDOT.
In a statement a TDOT spokeswoman explains what this crack is:
"We widened to the median and connect two existing bents. they are lightly connected but are independent structures holding the parts of the bridge together."
To one of the more that 200,000 people each year, who pass under the bridge on the more than 10 mile Greenline that stretches from Midtown to Shelby Farms that might be a tough bridge to cross.
University of Memphis Civil Engineering Professor, Adel Abdelnaby has experience in bridge inspection.
He backs up the explanation of the flaw in the fascade of the I-240 bridge.
"So the crack IS exactly happened between where the bents, beams between the old and new bents. That's where the crack is supposed to be at," said Abdelnaby.
He explains that portions of bridge structures move separately of each other. That's so they are able to bear the weight of traffic.
Abdelnaby calls this relative movement.
"This relative movement causes the crack to happen."
What is different about this very visible crack is that it's in a place where people, lots of people can spot it.
"Something like that next to the Greenline should have had an expansion joint so that people don't see the crack. Regardless if they do or they don't that crack is just a cosmetic crack that supposed to happen," said Abdelnaby.
So in this case, if you're biking, walking or jogging along the Greenline keep calm and keep it moving.
Experts says there's nothing to see here.
"That's good that the crack is there that it's not anywhere else. That's the right place to be at," said Abdelnaby.