ROGERS COUNTY, Okla. — Authorities and Oklahoma road crews are working to get a county bridge back open after an accident on Tuesday.
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) posted on social media that “due to an illegally over-height commercial motor vehicle striking a county bridge above the I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike this afternoon, crews have closed the N.E. Sawyer Rd./County Rd. S. 4220 bridge between E. 460 Rd. and E. 470 Rd. east of Claremore in Rogers County.”
OTA stated that the vehicle damaged at least one bridge beam above eastbound Will Rogers Turnpike.
“Crews have determined it is necessary to close the county bridge until repairs can be made, while traffic remains open underneath on the turnpike,” the post stated.
In response to a question in its post’s comment section about mandated clearance heights of bridges, OTA stated, “State statute is at 14 feet. The vertical clearance on these bridges ranged from 14 feet 11 inches to 15 feet 4 inches. As we replace aging bridges, they will be built with 17-foot vertical clearance.”
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority posted later that it and Oklahoma Department of Transportation crews “have quickly inspected multiple county bridges above the I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike.”
The inspections were in response to the earlier incident.
OHP stated that six bridges between SH-266 near Verdigris and east of SH-28 near Vinita are showing damage and four of the county road bridges have been closed until repairs can be made.
The Will Rogers Turnpike is still open in each direction, but short, temporary closures may occur as inspections continue.
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. – closed 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
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
