News Release

Temporary safety barrier to be installed along the Double Arch Bridge

Date: June 6, 2022
Contact: Mandi Toy, 662-680-4017

Double Arch bridge near Nashville, TN

NPS Photo/Copyright Marc Muench

TUPELO, Miss. – On June 6, 2022, the National Park Service (NPS) will begin construction of a temporary safety barrier on Double Arch Bridge (Milepost 438) near Nashville, Tennessee. Motorists and bicyclists should expect one-lane closures, 10-to-15-minute traffic delays, and Birdsong Hollow pullout to be closed. The bridge will be closed to pedestrians and hikers for the project duration.

Construction crews will install a chain-link fence, topped with barbed wire, to provide a temporary safety barrier to deter further loss of life through suicide. Travelers should obey posted signage, slow down and watch for workers when traveling through the construction zone. 

The NPS is working with the Federal Highway Administration on plans to install a permanent safety barrier to deter suicide. The temporary barrier will remain in place until a permanent barrier design is selected and constructed.

If you know someone in crisis call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741).

About the Double Arch BridgeConstructed in 1994, the 1,572-foot long bridge spans across Birdsong Hollow approximately 155 feet above the valley. The bridge was the first segmentally constructed concrete arch bridge in the United States and in 1995, received the Presidential Award for Design Excellence for its innovative design. It is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places because of its exceptional design and construction.

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