US-281 Bridgeport Bridge closing Monday for rehabilitation project

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This project is weather permitting:

US-281 Bridgeport Bridge closing Monday for rehabilitation project
Groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 2

The US-281/Rt. 66 Bridgeport Bridge over the South Canadian River in Caddo County will be closed to traffic between 8 a.m. Monday through summer 2024 for a bridge rehabilitation project. Motorists are advised to use the US-281 Business Spur (mm 108) and I-40 (mm 101-108) as alternate routes.

A groundbreaking ceremony with state officials and Route 66 stakeholders at 2 p.m. Nov. 2 is scheduled ahead of the start of construction. The public is invited to walk the bridge a final time and take photos that afternoon. After this time, the bridge will be an active work zone and will not be open for any vehicle or foot traffic.

This iconic bridge, also known as the Pony Bridge or the William H. Murray Bridge, is the longest camelback pony truss bridge in existence in Oklahoma. It is located within the nearly 18-mile Bridgeport Hill-Hydro Route 66 Segment Historic District. The bridge was built in 1933 and today also serves as a tourist destination for Route 66 enthusiasts, both nationally and internationally.

The more than $34 million project was awarded in July 2022 by the Oklahoma Transportation Commission to OBC Inc. of Edmond. The rehabilitation project will address bridge conditions such as widening the bridge deck to comply with current engineering and safety standards. This project seeks to preserve and protect as much of the historical nature of the bridge as possible while improving pavement and bridge conditions to extend the structure's lifespan.

An estimated 1,800 vehicles travel the bridge daily with heavy trucks totaling more than 20 percent of the traffic. 

Funded with a $22 million federal BUILD grant, the nearly two-year project is expected to complete ahead of the Route 66 Centennial in 2026.

The US-281 Bridgeport Bridge over the South Canadian River will be closed from Oct. 31 through summer 2024 for a bridge rehabilitation project. Detour will be I-40 (mm 101-108) or US-281 Business Spur (mm 108). Click on the image above to download a higher resolution version.

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