In January 2011 , the bridge was finally shut down for the entire year , engineers identifying 25 of 108 deck beams suffering significant rust and degradation . The closure caused a 17-mile detour for motorists . Three months later , the area was inundated with water during the 2011 Mississippi River flood . On May 10 , the river crested at 47.8 feet in Memphis , topping 46 feet around the Cairo Mississippi River Bridge by May 20 . Any depth greater than 43 feet necessitates a closure , but the bridge was already shut down due to the ongoing repairs . The bridge was finally reopened in March 2012
2011 Mississippi River flood
2011 Mississippi River floods
Cairo Mississippi River Bridge