Bridgeport Pony Bridge in Western Oklahoma Reopens
by Rhys Martin
After eighteen months of work, the famous Pony Bridge that carries Historic Route 66 across the South Canadian River in western Oklahoma is open to traffic. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation celebrated the occasion with a ceremony that brought over 350 vehicles from multiple states to commemorate the occasion with an official First Crossing.
The original Pony Bridge, built in 1933, was a tremendous undertaking. At the time, the Oklahoma State Highway Commission called it, “the most pretentious engineering project ever undertaken by the Oklahoma Highway Commission.” The river it spanned was known for being unpredictable, shifting regularly, so an extra-long bridge was required. The completed bridge was 3,944 feet long and consisted of 38 Camelback pony trusses. It quickly become a Route 66 icon and was featured in the film The Grapes of Wrath.
As Route 66 approached its Centennial, the famous bridge was showing its age. It was too narrow for modern traffic and years of heavy traffic had taken its toll. For more than a decade, The Oklahoma Department of Transportation talked about options to replace the bridge. One option was to completely demolish it and replace it with a modern, standard span. Another was to build a new bridge nearby and leave the old one as a monument for travelers to explore on foot. Neither of these options were acceptable to the Association or the preservation community…but alternatives were long-shot proposals that felt more like dreams than real possibilities.
Cars lined up to cross the bridge. The new parking plaza can be seen behind the red car on the right.
But in the end, it was a hybrid solution that won out. With the input and partnership of many stakeholders, including the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, a new plan was formed. The iconic Pony Trusses were removed, rehabilitated, and re-attached to a modern bridge deck. The deck was widened by four feet to accommodate today’s traffic (though still far from the modern standard.) The trusses are no longer load-bearing, but the visual aesthetic is preserved. Even dents and other small damages were left on the metal beams…battle scars from 90 years of faithful service. Additionally, a new scenic turnout was built on the northeast side of the bridge so that the bridge could be enjoyed by travelers from a safe place.
Looking back towards the bridge - over 350 enthusiasts showed up to help celebrate the reopening of the bridge.
When an opening date was set for Friday, May 10th, a call went out to classic car enthusiasts to join the celebration. ODOT held an “open house” of sorts where people could walk the bridge, look at the work up-close, and then cross together. Although that event didn’t officially start until 3:00 PM, with the crossing set to take place shortly after 5:00, scores of vintage automobiles started showing up at 1:30. Most people didn’t mind waiting - there was music in the plaza, a food truck serving onion-fried hamburgers, and the excitement of being part of something special.
Representatives from many various agencies, organizations, and state offices that helped make the Pony Bridge project happen cut the ribbon. Photo courtesy of ODOT.
At 5:00, there were a few speeches to mark the occasion. Tim Gatz, Executive Director of ODOT, spoke about the monumental and unusual task of rebuilding a historic bridge with the added effort to maintain as much of the original visual as possible. Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell spoke of the value of Route 66 to the state’s tourism industry and how this project served as an official start to Oklahoma’s work to celebrate the Route 66 Centennial in 2026. Trait Thompson, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Historical Society, talked about the bridge’s story and read a poem from University of Oklahoma student Luis Alfaro specifically in honor of the Pony Bridge. Oklahoma Route 66 Association President Rhys Martin closed out the official remarks by praising the teamwork of all involved, from inception to completion, and encouraged people to share their stories with others from around the globe that come to Oklahoma on the Mother Road.
The Ford T Buckets carried several VIPs across the bridge in the First Crossing.
After a formal ribbon cutting, it was time to cross. Three Ford T Bucket cars led the pack with the Lt Governor, Director Gatz, and Director Thompson. Association President Rhys Martin drove his own 2005 Ford Mustang, which has its own story, and several other special guests followed. Once they were on the other side, everyone else followed. The initial pack came back over to the east side of the bridge to return their guests to their cars and the bridge was officially open.
Preparatory work is already underway for the next Route 66 bridge project - widening the nearby Tower Bridge to match the Pony Bridge’s new dimensions. A review is also underway for the remaining Bird Creek Bridge in Catoosa, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Route 66 Association remains engaged and vocal about saving these bridges and maintaining the qualities that make them special and part of the wonderful Route 66 journey.
