In the classic 1980 movie, “The Blues Brothers,” a sermon delivered by Rev. Cleophus James inspires down-and-out singers Jake and Elwood Blues to see the light and embark on a mission to save the orphanage that was their childhood home.

To aid them in their quest, they have to reunite members of their old rhythm-and-blues band under the rallying cry: “We’re gettin’ the band back together.”

It’s not clear if longtime advocates for a new bridge across the Mississippi River in the Memphis area had an epiphany quite as dramatic as the one experienced by Jake and Elwood at Triple Rock Baptist Church.

Federal money for bridge repairs may be on the way

However, the closure of the Hernando DeSoto Bridge clearly seems to have energized supporters of a proposal that discussed off and on for many years.

It apparently has also attracted the attention of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who is expected to pay Memphis a visit Thursday, June 3. U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tennessee, sent a tweet Friday announcing Buttigieg’s plans for a trip here.

Members of the Greater Memphis Chamber have worked behind-the-scenes to rally support for what would be the third Mississippi River bridge in the area open to cars and trucks.

They’ve met with federal transportation officials and members of the Tennessee congressional delegation about the importance of a new bridge for one of the country’s major transportation and logistics hubs.

Bobby White, the chamber’s chief public policy officer, said a new bridge would be a vital piece of transportation infrastructure for a community that has the world’s busiest cargo airport, five Class 1 railroads, a major inland port, and two major interstate highways running through it.

He said it will take a bipartisan effort to make it happen.

“There’s no Democratic way to drive a barge under that bridge or a Republican way to drive a truck over it,” White said.

Legislation pending in Congress could boost the prospects for such a project. Hagerty is one of the co-sponsors of the Bridge Investment Act, which could provide about $311 billion for bridge repair and construction projects across the country over the next five years.

Expect I-40 bridge reopening schedule next week

The legislation was reintroduced this week and approved by a key Senate committee.

Its prospects for final approval, and the potential timetable for that approval, remain uncertain. Congressional leaders are currently in negotiations with President Joe Biden over an infrastructure spending package that’s expected to include more federal spending on roads, bridges, and other public works projects.

It’s also uncertain how much a new bridge across the Mississippi would cost or how long it would take to complete.

At a news conference earlier this month, Paul Degges, the chief engineer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, estimated that such a project would cost $1.5 billion “if it’s a nickel.”

Yet White and other supporters say they’re committed to the cause.

“We’re gettin’ the band back together,” White said.

Meanwhile, efforts to repair the Hernando DeSoto Bridge continued Friday, May 28.

First phase of bridge repair complete

Kiewit Infrastructure Group, the contractor selected by the TDOT to handle the project, spent the day working to complete the platform extension needed for the repairs.

TDOT said there would not be a lot of activity on the bridge over the holiday weekend. However, behind the scenes, the final design drawings were being completed, and Kiewit was assembling the steel components needed for the repairs, with some materials being delivered next week.

The Arkansas Department of Transportation was continuing its inspection activities on the bridge.