MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) is calling for the federal government to quickly fix a bridge that connects Tennessee and Arkansas.
Hagerty said in a letter to President Joe Biden that there needs to be an "urgent, all-hands" approach.
He said the repair should not wait for a proposed infrastructure bill to be passed in Washington.
The I-40 Hernando de Soto Bridge over the Mississippi River was shut down after a crack was found in the steel beams.
A transportation official said it could take months to fix the bridge.
Both states' transportation agencies said they will make sure it is safe before reopening.
The bridge closure is creating some critical challenges for people living in that area.
It's a main route for people in Arkansas relying on treatment from a children's hospital and trauma center in Tennessee.
One family who has a 2-year-old who is vulnerable to seizures said they are worried about what to do if there is an emergency.
"My big concern is that nationally, it's not being addressed and infrastructure has always been a big promise," Susan Enright said.
The hospital said it is planning to use other routes or helicopters as well as outpatient centers for critical situations.