Bridgeport Pony Bridge Groundbreaking Ceremony Held

Nov 3

On Wednesday, November 2nd there was a ceremony held on the north end of the US-281 South Canadian River Bridge, better known as the Bridgeport Pony Bridge on Route 66. For many years, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) has been seeking a solution for the problem of modern traffic across this famous bridge that spans nearly 4,000 feet. Heavy truck traffic has taken its toll here over the years and the two narrow lanes have been insufficient for years.

The Bridgeport Pony Bridge, with construction crane in the distance

Many plans had been presented, most of which involved demolishing the entire bridge or bypassing it and leaving it as a monument that one could walk across. However, the Oklahoma Route 66 Association has always advocated for finding a way to continue using it for vehicular travel and preserving the experience as much as possible. Thanks to many in-person meetings and long-distance conference calls, the solution that was selected was a compromise: widening the bridge by four feet and, although they would no longer be load bearing, re-attached the iconic camelback pony trusses to preserve the visual aesthetic. ODOT has also committed to leaving the deck as bare concrete (instead of covered with asphalt) as it bridge was in the 1930s and will be building a turn-out on the west side of the bridge so that travelers can safely pull off the road, photograph the bridge, and read a few interpretive panels about the area’s history.

Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell talks about the importance of Route 66 to Oklahoma’s cultural identity

The crossing actually closed on Monday, October 31st, so attendees to the official ceremony could park along the two lanes of Route 66 itself…which was a good thing! More than 50 people were in attendance as several men marked the occasion: Sean Davis (ODOT Director of Operations), Trait Thompson (Director of the Oklahoma Historical Society), Tim Gatz (Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation), and Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell. They spoke of the partnerships formed to make the project possible (including the Federal Highway Administration, whose grant of $22 Million took a big chunk out of the $35 million project cost) and how excited they were that the project would be completed well in time for the 2025 Centennial.

Stakeholder group photo at the groundbreaking banner

After the speeches were made, a concept image of the new bridge was unveiled as well as mock-ups of the interpretive panels for the future turn-out. Attendees were welcome to walk the bridge one final time and several folks did just that - including Board Member Jerry McClanahan and Oklahoma Route 66 Museum Director Pat Smith. ODOT also presented the Oklahoma Route 66 Association with a commemorative plaque featuring a sample of the original concrete deck for our help in shaping the project to where it ended up.

Association President Rhys Martin with the commemorative plaque featuring original concrete from the deck of the bridge

It was not “goodbye” but “see you later.” The bridge will look different when it wraps up two years from now, but these changes will ensure the bridge will still be standing for future generations to experience it just as the Joad family did in The Grapes of Wrath.