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[rte66man]

Ribbon cutting yesterday for the restoration of the US66 bridge across the South Canadian River that was featured in the movie "The Grapes of Wrath":

https://www.facebook.com/OKDOT/posts/423785029945249

CADDO CO.: Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell and Oklahoma History Center Director Trait Thompson joined Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz at the US-281/Rt. 66 Bridgeport Bridge Wednesday afternoon for a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of a nearly 2-year and more than $35 million bridge rehabilitation project. This work by OBC Inc. of Edmond will extend the lifespan and improve safety on the longest pony truss bridge in Oklahoma. While the project will repair the bridge piers and widen the deck to 28 feet in width, the design by CP&Y also calls for the restoration of the 38 truss spans that have made the bridge one of the highlights of touring Oklahoma's more than 400 miles of historic Route 66. This rehabilitation project comes after thousands of hours and collaborative planning with multiple agencies, the Oklahoma and national Route 66 associations, FHWA and the State Historic Preservation Office. It also received a $22 million federal BUILD grant sponsored by Sen. James Inhofe and the Oklahoma congressional delegation. The bridge is closed to all vehicle and foot traffic, with an opening expected in 2024.
[\quote]

[kphoger]

Here are my own photos of the bridge, from 2019.

[Scott5114]

Okay, SOMETIMES Oklahoma does something cool. This is an ideal bridge for historical preservation in place like this, since the vast majority of thru traffic takes the I-40 bridge just south of here, so they can afford to have it out for a couple of years.

[Alps]

I kinda gotta question how they're gonna widen this bridge to 28 feet. I hope they keep original concrete and don't cast a replica of what's there, but I have my doubts.

[rte66man]

The grant application:
https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/odot/federal-grants/raise/2020/us-281_route-66_bridgeport_bridge.pdf

[kphoger]

I kinda gotta question how they're gonna widen this bridge to 28 feet. I hope they keep original concrete and don't cast a replica of what's there, but I have my doubts.

According to the link just posted:

"The proposed project will address the transportation challenges by replacing the superstructure with a new multi-beam steel structure and a concrete deck. The substructure will also be replaced, and the original pony trusses will be reattached to the outside of the steel beams. In this manner, the trusses are no longer bearing the full structural load but would still appear in the same configuration as the original structure for drivers and for observers ... The existing bridge railings will be replaced with modern crash-tested railings with a design consistent with the historic context of the bridge, in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation ..."

[Scott5114]

So, basically, they're converting it to a modern steel girder bridge, and attaching the old pony trusses to the sides of it as kind of a decoration?

[kphoger]

So, basically, they're converting it to a modern steel girder bridge, and attaching the old pony trusses to the sides of it as kind of a decoration?

That's how I read it too.

In all honesty, the appearance is all 99% of the people care about anyway.

[Bobby5280]

I don't mind them repurposing the original pony trusses on a new bridge structure. As long as the aesthetics look proper I'm all for it. The end result will have a lot more visual personality than all the very unremarkable but newer bridges state-wide. I remember seeing a lot more of those truss style bridges in Oklahoma when I was a kid. There were a few near Lawton. Those are all gone.

Hopefully the pony trusses won't need a great deal of rehab work.

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah this is a pretty kick ass project! I’m glad they went this route with this one.