Work has been completed on the Stroud bridge over the Turner Turnpike (I-44) and all lanes and ramps were opened earlier this week.
Lisa Shearer-Salim, spokesperson for the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, said the work was completed in four nights beginning on Friday night, Nov. 10. It was completed and open to traffic by early Tuesday morning.
She noted the bridge serves as the westbound onand off-ramp to SH 99, mile marker 179, in Stroud.
“It was heavily damaged,” she had earlier stated, “by an illegal over height load on a semi tractortrailer that struck the bridge at SH 99, totaling a bridge beam, overnight Nov. 8.”
She explained the damage was extensive to the bridge beam, the bridge deck and the parapet wall that resulted in lane and ramp closures. It forced OTA to set up a detour for westbound traffic to reach Stroud, exiting at Bristow and taking SH 66.
Shearer-Salim noted that OTA Chief Engineer T.J. Dill pointed out, “This work proceeded faster than expected thanks to the diligent work by the contractor and our staff. We were fortunate that we were able to locate a new bridge beam in less than 24 hours, which allowed work to begin last Friday night earlier than expected.”
Shearer-Salim had explained OTA Secretary Tim Gatz declared an emergency last Thursday after the bridge collision, enabling the agency to more quickly contact a contractor.
“They were able to procure a beam faster than we anticipated. The work started last Friday night,” she previously stated.
An emergency contract was issued to Built Right Construction, she stated.
Shearer-Salim had said engineers pointed out the damage done by the semi-tractor trailer striking the bridge was more severe than any of them have seen in their transportation careers.
This bridge will be removed as part of a future ACCESS Oklahoma project in OTA’s longrange infrastructure improvement plan. OTA will continue widening I-44/Turner Turnpike to six lanes between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Widening projects are anticipated to begin in 2024, however, the realignment and widening of the I-44/Turner Turnpike at Stroud is expected to occur later in the 15-year long-range plan.