The Oklahoma Department of Transportation wants it to happen now, the Guthrie City Council wants it to happen now as does travelers and residents. All want the viaduct project to begin immediately, but that simply can not happen.
Transportation engineer Paul Green, who is over-looking the state project, visited with the city council Tuesday evening for a question and answer session in the council workshop regarding the 76-year-old bridge that connects Guthrie’s east and west sides.
The engineer explained the current situation and that construction can not start until the right-of-way scenarios are taken care of among other items.
Both commercial and residential lands must be purchased from the current owners before workers can begin replacing the structurally deficient bridge. Green believes construction could start as early as Oct. 2014.
Councilman Gaylord Z. Thomas asked the engineer, “are you comfortable it is going to last two years?” Green responded, “it has too.”
Earlier this year in August, ODOT closed down the functionally obsolete (too narrow) viaduct after it had expanded and buckled about a third of the way up the bridge caused by hot temperatures.
Along with land purchases, environmental issues still need to be worked out as well as archaeology studies.
The bridge sufficiently rating of the viaduct has a poor rating of 21.1 out of a 100 point scale. Green explained the Seward Road bridge that was just repaired along I-35 was rated at a 14.
Green said the viaduct see’s over 13,000 vehicles traveling across and is well over the normal travel on a two-lane road.
Green went on to say there are numerous of obstacles in this project such as historical buildings, railroad and fishing and wildlife with the Cottonwood Creek under the bridge.
The future four-lane viaduct will expand from Second Street to Seventh Street, but leveling out around 12th and 13th streets.
The 1,700 foot bridge is expected to cost about $16 million and will take it out of the flood plain.
The original plan in 2007 called to replace the bridge at 700 feet at $5 million, but talks stopped after the economy went sour.
Related story: Video: behind the scenes with ODOT and the viaduct
Related story: ODOT shuts down viaduct bridge; traffic being detoured
Related story: Public meeting scheduled for viaduct replacement project
There is no reason for this bridge replacement to take this long. I hope the organizations that are holding it up can sleep at night once it collapses.
I truely hope it doesn’t take some one or more than one to get hurt our killed. I have seen them wait to put in red lights and before you know it someone got hurt really bad our died in the accident before them to come to realize that it should have been done along time ago. Please dont wait for someone to die before you decide its time to do this bridge.
I was in Minnesota just days after the I-35 bridge collapsed and I can tell you that they are playing a dangerous game if this quote is truly their mindset: “Councilman Gaylord Z. Thomas asked the engineer, “are you comfortable it is going to last two years?” Green responded, “it has too.” It is not a matter of if, but WHEN the bridge collapses and when it goes it is going into the Cottonwood and onto the railroad tracks. God help the people who drown or get hit by a train while trying to get out of their vehicles. The law suits alone will be more than the bridge costs to replace. They have had years and years to get the logistics handled. Someone is not doing their job competently.