Memphis Tow Prices: When a Bridge Closure Changes the Job

In Memphis, the route is what moves a tow price most. Only two highway bridges cross the Mississippi here: I-40 on the M Bridge and I-55 on the older Memphis-Arkansas Bridge. If one is shut, or a ramp is closed for road work, the haul gets longer. Your vehicle, what went wrong and how hard the car is to reach count too. You get one price by text before anyone is sent.

Why does the river matter so much for a Memphis tow?

Memphis has four bridges over the Mississippi. Two of them, the Frisco and the Harahan, carry trains. The Harahan also has a walkway for bikes and people. That leaves two bridges for cars and tow trucks.

So think about where your car is and where it needs to go. Say it quits in West Memphis, and your mechanic is in Midtown. The truck has to cross the river to reach you. Then it crosses back with your car on the bed. Every trip over the water uses one of those two bridges.

When both are open, that's a normal job. When one is closed, every crossing piles onto the other one. The miles and the wait in traffic can grow.

What happened when the I-40 bridge closed in 2021?

On May 11, 2021, inspectors found a crack in the Hernando de Soto Bridge. TDOT says the crack was in a steel beam that is critical to the bridge. The bridge shut to all traffic that day.

TDOT named I-55 as the main detour. The I-55 bridge was built in the 1940s. TDOT said it could carry the extra load, just for longer stretches at rush hour.

The eastbound lanes reopened on July 31, 2021. Westbound lanes opened again on August 2. TDOT counts the whole closure at 83 days.

Here's why that matters for your wallet. For those 83 days, a car stuck on the Arkansas side near the I-40 approach could not take the short way across. Your driver had to swing south to I-55 and back up. A tow is priced on the real route, not the map you remember.

The M Bridge is big. TDOT lists it at 3.3 miles long, counting its approaches and ramps. A breakdown anywhere on that span is a long way from an exit.

Is the I-55 bridge changing too?

Yes, over time. TDOT and the Arkansas DOT plan to replace the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge. It opened in December 1949 and is the farthest south of the Memphis bridges. The project is called America's River Crossing. The new bridge will be named Kings' Crossing, after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., B.B. King and Elvis Presley.

TDOT says the project got its federal environmental approval in April 2025 and is now in design. TDOT's project page does not list a start date for building yet. When work starts on a bridge like this, lanes and ramps can shift. Check TDOT SmartWay before you plan a crossing.

What road work is changing routes right now?

A lot of it is on I-40 in town. TDOT is rebuilding I-40 from the Levee Road overpass to Hollywood Street. The old concrete is breaking down from a chemical reaction called ASR. TDOT is replacing it with asphalt, and estimates the work will be done in fall 2027.

TDOT's report for September 30 to October 7, 2026 lists these Memphis closures:

• I-40, Levee Road to Hollywood Street: the inside lanes are closed long term. At least two lanes stay open each way. From 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., more lanes close, leaving one lane each way.
• Hollywood Street ramps: the eastbound entrance ramp to I-40 is closed until October 5. The westbound entrance ramp is closed until October 12. Both have posted detours.
• Watkins ramps: the eastbound entrance ramp to I-40 closes October 5 for 60 days. The westbound entrance ramp closes October 12 for 44 days.
• I-240 from I-40 to I-55: lanes close some nights from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for repaving.
• I-55 from near Mill Branch to I-240: lanes close some nights for bridge repair and paving.
• US-61 (Third Street) at I-55: two ramps onto I-55 stay closed, with detours.

How does that change a tow? A closed ramp means your driver can't hop on where you'd expect. The truck follows the detour, so it adds miles. A work zone with one open lane and no shoulder is a harder place to load a car. TDOT updates this list every week, so it will look different soon.

What if I break down inside a work zone?

Tennessee's driver manual says not to stop in a travel lane for a breakdown. If the car still rolls, keep going until you can pull fully off the road. A work zone on I-40 often has no room for that. Coast to the end of the barriers if you can.

If you're stuck in a live lane, or anyone is hurt, call 911 first. Sentinel is not an emergency service. Stay buckled in with your hazards on until police have the scene safe.

Can a free HELP truck save me a tow?

Sometimes. TDOT's lime-yellow HELP trucks patrol the I-40 and I-55 river crossings and the I-240 loop. The service is free. The trucks carry gas, so an empty tank on the bridge may not need a tow at all.

TDOT says help isn't guaranteed. The HELP crews can get pulled to big crashes. If your car still won't go after a HELP stop, or it needs a shop, that's when you call us.

What else moves the price besides the route?

What went wrong

A car that won't crank after a hot day parked near the Pyramid may only need a jump start. That is a smaller job than a haul to a shop. A car that's smoking, leaking or grinding needs a car tow.

Your vehicle

Tell us the year, make and model. Say if it's all-wheel drive. A compact car and a full-size SUV load differently. Partners handle cars, SUVs, minivans and light pickups.

Where the car sits

A car in a flat Bartlett driveway is easy to reach. A car in a ditch off I-240 after a summer storm is a bigger job. So is a car on a narrow bridge ramp with traffic close by.

Where should the car go?

The drop-off is half the trip, so it's the part you control. If you live in Cordova but break down in Marion, Arkansas, think twice before towing home across the river. A shop on the Arkansas side may be the shorter haul. You can move the car later, once you know what's wrong.

New in town, or just passing through on I-40? Ask us. Pointing you to a good repair shop is part of the Stay-With-You Promise.

How is my price set?

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. We don't own trucks. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. Before anyone is sent, we text you a price. That price is the most you pay for the job.

If the job changes once your driver sees the car, we text you a new price first. You choose whether to go ahead. We keep checking on you by text until help arrives, and you can track your truck on a map.

We won't promise the cheapest tow in Memphis. We promise a clear price up front and no surprises later.

What should I tell you when I call?

1. Which bridge or highway: the M Bridge, the I-55 bridge, I-240 or I-40.
2. Which side of the river you're on: Tennessee or Arkansas.
3. Your direction, or the last exit or ramp you passed.
4. What the car did, and what kind of car it is.
5. Where you want it to go.

Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.

For lockouts, flat tires and tows from Whitehaven to Wolfchase, see our Memphis towing page.

Memphis Tow Cost Questions

Roads and closures change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: TDOT I-40 bridge FAQ, TDOT I-40 bridge fact sheet, TDOT river crossing study, TDOT America's River Crossing, TDOT I-40 reconstruction, TDOT West Tennessee construction, Sept. 30 to Oct. 7, 2026, TDOT HELP program, Tennessee driver manual.