TN Politics: Bridge Crack Puts New Focus on Infrastructure

WKNO | By Christopher Blank

Published May 14, 2021 at 11:21 AM CDT

Inspectors from the Arkansas Department of Transportation examine the crack in the Hernando de Soto bridge in Memphis.

Political analyst Otis Sanford discusses the week in Tennessee politics for May 9-15, 2021.

According to the Report Card for America's Infrastructure, 4.4 percent of Tennessee's bridges are structurally deficient. One of those bridges -- as was seen this week -- happens to be a major American roadway over the Mississippi River.

Political analyst Otis Sanford says the crack in the I-40 Hernando de Soto bridge is emblematic of larger infrastructure lapses nationwide that the Biden Administration aims to address with his roughly $2 trillion American Jobs Plan.

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Christopher Blank

A native "Florida Man," Christopher started in this business as a copy clerk at the renowned St. Petersburg Times before persuading editors to let him write. He moved to Memphis in 2001 to cover arts and entertainment at the Commercial Appeal. Since then, he has contributed to nearly every publication in Shelby County, writing features on everything from the Civil War to Civil Rights. Also, Elvis... a lot of Elvis.

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