It is of similar construction to the Sherman Minton Bridge between Louisville, Kentucky, and New Albany, Indiana (except that it consists of a single level deck).

Preliminary planning for the river crossing began in 1960 as part of Interstate 40 alignment studies for the Memphis - Little Rock corridor, which was constructed in segments between 1963 and 1968.

Both states eventually agreed to a compromise where Tennessee funded 60% of the cost and Arkansas the remaining 40%.

The retrofit project is also a means to protect the bridge as it is located within 100 miles (161 km) of the New Madrid Seismic Zone and serves as a major cargo route and traffic thoroughfare across the river.

A bridge about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the main span was rebuilt with earthquake considerations in mind.

[12] On May 11, 2021, an inspection discovered a partially fractured tie girder on the Span A North truss.

[16] The second phase consisted of the installation of additional steel plating and removal of part of the damaged beam.

[23] And according to the Arkansas Department of Transportation, review of archived drone footage taken during a May 2019 bridge inspection, two years before the damage was discovered, also showed the fracture.

]• Other hydrogen cracks were identified on the interior tie girder surface at similar thickness transitions throughout the bridge.

]• Given the 48-year service life of this structure, the fact that the subject fracture occurred in three separate phases over several years, the recent inspection efforts to identify welding defects at the tie girder thickness transition welds, and no evidence of observed fatigue crack growth during this study, it is highly unlikely that an additional major fracture of a similar tie girder thickness transition weld will occur.