ODOT: "Scary" Hole Forms On I-40 Bridge In Del City

Part of I-40 gave way to a large hole Thursday morning near SE 15^th St. in Del City. Outbound traffic was down to just one lane during the morning rush hour.

An Oklahoma Department of Transportation official said the damage to the bridge was, "scary."

The bridge is a stretch of patchwork, a problem that ODOT wishes it could fix the right away, but the department says the cash simply is not there just yet. On Thursday, two eastbound lanes of I-40 were closed as crews spread concrete and checked for weak areas.

"It started as a 2 foot by 2 foot hole, and it did expand a little bit to a larger hole," ODOT spokesperson Brenda Perry said. "It was a really important repair that we needed to make."

ODOT says it will need to wait until 2016 before the bridge over Crutcho Creek and another over SE 15th can be replaced. Until then, more money will be thrown at the stretch of I-40 just to get by.

"This stretch of I-40 is one that we watch regularly," said Perry. "It is one that we have had to make repairs to … there are a lot of patches in this area."

From under the bridge, News 9 found cracks and missing concrete. Experts say for the most part, moisture is to blame. Over time, water can create a desperate situation that calls for a prompt response from the government.

"Today, we needed to take care of it immediately," Perry said.

ODOT is still trying to figure out just how much the Crutcho Bridge fix will cost. Crews wrapped up their work on the bridge Thursday afternoon ahead of rush hour. ODOT officials say they do have a fresh focus on bridges throughout the state, and they insist progress is being made.