Sand Springs highway bridge damaged

Monday, January 23rd 2006, 10:02 am

By: News On 6

A truckâ€™s cargo crashes into a Sand Springs highway bridge, showering dozens of drivers with debris, and leaving Oklahoma Department of Transportation engineers to pick up the pieces.

News on 6 anchor Scott Thompson says the accident happened at the bridge on highway 64 at 65th West Avenue. The good news is, traffic is flowing smoothly now under the bridge. The bad news is, while crews work on repairs, eastbound commuters on highway 64 won't be able to count on these lanes staying open.

A track hoe was just a few inches too tall, but it did major damage.

Engineers tell the News on 6, they've never seen a beam crack completely through like this one had. The crash also knocked loose chunks of concrete that Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers say damaged 25 vehicles.

ODOT engineers came out to inspect the damage and determine just how bad the bridge is. ODOT spokesman Cole Perryman: "the report will be on the director and chief engineer's desk in the morning, but we will obviously be letting the project to make repairs to the bridge."

The accident bent the beam lower, and shaved a few inches off the clearance for folks traveling east on the Sand Springs Expressway. Until things are fixed, some vehicles may be too tall to go under the bridge.

As for up above on 65th West Avenue, the southbound lane will stay closed until repairs are finished. ODOT will get emergency bids, and hopes to start work in the next two weeks.