Muskogee Phoenix
By Cathy Spaulding
Apr 13, 2024
New bridges, including U.S. Highway 62 replacements being built over the Arkansas River, can better withstand being hit by watercraft, Oklahoma transportation officials say.
Such impact can be fatal. On March 26, a cargo ship lost power and rammed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, destroying the span and plunging it into the river. According to the Associated Press, authorities believe six bridge workers died; thus far, three bodies have been found.
But Oklahoma transportation officials say they learned from an earlier bridge collapse. In May 2002, when Interstate I-40 bridge spans fell into the Arkansas River after support beams were hit by barges, 14 people were killed.
“One of the lessons learned was that Oklahoma had to be serious of its infrastructure,” ODOT Maintenance Engineer Jonathan Arps said. “In years that followed, the Legislature created ROADS superfund, Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety.”
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