Ribbon Cut On New Highway Segment To Rogers/Wagoner County Port

Editor's note:  Earlier versions of this story incorrectly reported that the port being served by the new highway is the Port of Catoosa.  NewsOn6.com regrets the error. 

State and local leaders celebrated the opening of a new alignment of state Highway 412P along the Rogers County/Wagoner County line with a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday.

The new state highway segment connects Highway 412 to Johnston's Port 33, which is a vital link for barge shipments on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation says the previous alignment had two deficient bridges, both built in 1930, and the narrow two-lane highway could no longer accommodate current traffic demands.

The $7.8 million project began in January 2011 to construct 1.4 miles of a new two-lane highway with shoulders and to remove the two deficient bridges.

ODOT says the new highway segment opened to traffic in January 2012, and work was completed in April 2012.