Harahan Bridge

Harahan Bridge

Harahan Bridge from Martyrs Park
Carries Rail line
Crosses Mississippi River
Locale West Memphis, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee
Maintained by Union Pacific Railroad
Design Cantilevered through Truss bridge
Total length 4,973 feet (1,516 m)
Longest span 791 feet (241 m)
Clearance below 108 feet (33 m)
Opened July 14, 1916

The Harahan Bridge is a cantilevered through truss bridge[1] carrying two rail lines across the Mississippi River between West Memphis, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee. The consulting engineer in charge was Ralph Modjeski. The bridge also carried motor vehicles from 1917–1949, when the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge opened. The bridge is currently owned by Union Pacific Railroad.

In February 2011, Union Pacific Railroad officials agreed to the idea of converting the old 1917 motorway into a bicycle-pedestrian walkway across the river.[2] The planned addition is expected to cost "several million dollars," and is only a plan however it has received the support of the mayors of Memphis, TN and West Memphis, AR, as well as Crittenden County, AR officials. Earlier this year, it was also discovered that the rights to the "wagon bridge" were given jointly to the City of Memphis and Crittenden County, with terms that specified "forever," eliminating ownership issues. The new addition is also expected to receive grant money to finance at least part of its construction.[3][4]

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