Harahan Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Harahan Bridge is a cantilevered
through truss bridge
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. 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.
Cantilever bridge
A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using cantilevers, structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end. For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beams; however, large cantilever bridges designed to handle road or rail traffic use trusses built from...
through truss bridge
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
carrying two rail lines across the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
between West Memphis, Arkansas
West Memphis, Arkansas
West Memphis is the largest city in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 27,666 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 28,181 in 2005, and 31,329 in 2011 ranking it as the state's 11th largest city, behind Hot Springs...
and Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. The consulting engineer in charge was Ralph Modjeski
Ralph Modjeski
Ralph Modjeski was a Polish-born American civil engineer who achieved prominence as a pre-eminent bridge designer in the United States.-Life:...
. The bridge also carried motor vehicles from 1917–1949, when the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge opened. The bridge is currently owned by Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
.
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. 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.