Catoosa Highway Reopens After Huge Hole Repaired

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- All lanes of westbound Interstate 44 are now open at the 161st St. E. Ave. junction, following emergency bridge deck repairs, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation announced Saturday morning.

A huge pothole on the bridge caused trouble for drivers and created a mess on Friday, disabling at least 17 vehicles that fell victim to the large hole. ODOT estimated that the hole was 3 feet by at least 6 feet.

2/19/2010 Related Story: Vehicles Damaged By Huge Hole In I-44 Bridge In Catoosa

From below on 163rd East Avenue, drivers could see the sky through the hole.

The bridge started crumbling years ago, but without the money to replace it, ODOT hung nets underneath it to catch pieces that fall off.

According to NewsOn6.com's Bridge Tracker database, the bridge was built in 1958. ODOT considers the bridge to be structurally deficient. It is inspected every two years, with the next inspection due in May of this year.

ODOT recently signed a $7 million contract to replace the bridge. Work started last month and is expected to take almost a year.