ROGERS COUNTY -

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is declaring an emergency after a semi driver damaged 6 bridges with a truck load that violated height regulations.

Three of those bridges are closed, waiting for repairs, from around Claremore to the Adair area.

Bridge Strikes Damage 6 bridges on the Will Rogers Turnpike, Closing 3

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority says a truck with a load too tall for height regulations damaged the bridges. A turnpike work crew heard the first bridge strike, which happened near Claremore on the bridge on 530 Road.

“They were working near that bridge, and they heard the hit and immediately called it in to OHP,” said Lisa Shearer Salim, of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. “That’s when OHP pulled the driver over, a few miles away.”

The bridges hit include:

• E. 530 Rd. - closed between S. 4130 Rd. and Lakeway Rd.
• S. 4220 Rd. - closed between E. 460 Rd. and E. 470 Rd. east of Claremore
• N. 429 Rd. - open between E. 390 Rd. and SH-28
• N. 4300 Rd. - closed between E. 380 Rd. and W. 390 Rd.
• N. 4310 Rd. - open
• W. 370 Rd. - open

Truck Driver Faces Administrative Review

OHP says the driver was “not permitted” to carry the long pole and was placed “out of service,” to be administratively handled by federal regulators.

Oklahoma Turnpike Authority

Truck Driver Violated Height Restrictions

“Our understanding is that this particular vehicle, the load it was hauling, was closer to 16 feet than not, and that is way over what is allowed in state statutes,” said Shearer Salim.

Oklahoma statutes require truck loads to be no higher than 14 feet. All of the bridges that were hit were at least 11 inches over the limit.

While the damage can be seen, Shearer Salim says the strikes could have been tragic.

“We think it is very fortunate that this was not worse than what it was. When you are damaging a bridge beam, and if there had been traffic on that bridge at the time, that could have been fatal, potentially, if the worst had occurred. Fortunately, the worst did not occur,” said Shearer Salim.

Repair Process Begins

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is calling for an emergency so that the repair process can begin immediately. Contractors have been on the scene, assessing damages and calculating costs. If they get started, Shearer Salim says the work could be completed by sometime next week.