CRITTENDEN COUNTY | October 9, 2024

Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. has been selected to provide Engineering and Design Services for the Interstate 55 (I-55) bridge replacement project over the Mississippi River, also known as America’s River Crossing.

Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. has over 80 years of experience in global infrastructure. They are committed to designing a modern, safe, resilient structure that will replace the existing I-55 bridge built in 1949.

The new structure will need to support a projected 64,000 vehicles moving between Arkansas and Tennessee daily by the year 2050.

The I-55 bridge replacement project is a joint effort between the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). It was made possible through a $394 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The remaining cost of the project will be split evenly between TDOT and ARDOT, for a total of up to $250 million from each agency.

“This is another major milestone toward replacing the aging I-55 bridge connecting Arkansas and Tennessee,” said ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor. “We look forward to collaborating with TDOT and Parsons Transportation Group on the design of this critical structure.”

As the contract with Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. is finalized, the next anticipated milestone will be selecting the firm to carry out the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) method of Alternative Delivery, which is used to streamline large, complex projects.

For more information on the proposed project, visit America’s River Crossing.