'We've Come A Long Way': ODOT Says Oklahoma Bridge Safety Has Improved Since 2002 I-40 Collapse

The safety of Oklahoma’s bridges is steadily improving, according to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, and a weekend barge strike on a bridge shows the results.

A barge under tow on the Kerr McClellan navigation channel struck the Oklahoma 59 bridge near the Kerr Reservoir Saturday, but the bridge pier only had superficial damage.

“We'll repair that in the future, and that's not a structural concern, that's a longevity, we're replacing concrete that was removed,” said Justin Hernandez, with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. The resilience of the bridge was designed into it, according to ODOT, with protection that's now part of every bridge built over the shipping channel.

ODOT Director Tim Gatz said a deadly barge strike on the I-40 bridge over the channel helped spur the state to improve safety. “We did a risk assessment, and we've reinforced many of those locations, adding pier protection, so we've come a long way in Oklahoma on bridge infrastructure.”

Gatz said Oklahoma’s bridge repairs for the entire network of 6,800 bridges has left only 50 bridges due for repairs because they’re considered structurally deficient.