OTA assesses damage, makes repair plan for six county bridges above I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike in Rogers, Mayes counties; 3 bridges closed
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has worked since early this morning with inspectors and contractors to further assess the damage to six county bridges above the I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike in Rogers and Mayes counties after an illegally over-height truck damaged bridge beams while travelling eastbound between Claremore and Vinita Tuesday afternoon.
OTA Executive Director Joe Echelle declared an emergency this afternoon and directed staff to begin repairs as quickly as possible. Work potentially will begin Thursday and could take up to two weeks to complete. Repairs will include flame straightening and replacing sections of damaged beams.
Six bridges between SH-266 near Verdigris and east of SH-28 near Vinita were damaged and four of the county road bridges have been closed until repairs can be made. The Will Rogers Turnpike remains open in each direction, but nightly lane closures will occur when repair work begins. More lane closure details will be provided as the information becomes available.
The bridges hit include:
- E. 530 Rd. - closed between S. 4130 Rd. and Lakeway Rd.
- S. 4220 Rd. - closed between E. 460 Rd. and E. 470 Rd. east of Claremore
- N. 429 Rd. - open between E. 390 Rd. and SH-28
- N. 4300 Rd. - closed between E. 380 Rd. and W. 390 Rd.
- N. 4310 Rd. - open
- W. 370 Rd. - open
OTA is working closely with officials from Rogers County, Mayes County, City of Claremore, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in response to this incident.
It is illegal for trucks taller than 14 feet to travel the state highway system without permits and approved routes. The bridges damaged Tuesday range from 14 feet and 11 inches to 15 feet and 4 inches in vertical clearance, well above the legal limit.
The impacted bridges were constructed in 1957 and 1958. The bridge at E. 530 Rd. is slated for reconstruction in the ACCESS Oklahoma long-range plan as part of a Will Rogers Turnpike widening project in 2028. All bridge reconstruction projects as part of OTA's bond program and its capital plan program are planned to be built with 18-foot vertical clearance to better accommodate the growing size of trucks using the nation's interstates. Regardless, it remains the responsibility of motorists to ensure their vehicles follow state regulations for size and weight and obtain required permits and routing in order to protect other motorists and the state's infrastructure.