FORT GIBSON, Okla. — A decades-old wooden bridge north of Fort Gibson is set to be replaced, a project county leaders say will improve safety and continue recovery efforts tied to the 2019 flood.
The bridge, located near East 50th Street and North 49th Street, will be replaced with a new concrete structure in the coming weeks. For people who regularly cross the bridge, the project is long overdue.
WATCH: Decades-old wooden bridge near Fort Gibson to be replaced:
Decades-old wooden bridge near Fort Gibson to be replaced
“Every time I drive over it I think please don’t fall in with me,” said Carol Corley, a local business owner.
According to Muskogee County Commissioner Ken Doke, the bridge replacement was part of a larger $10.2 million project to improve 50th Street after damage caused by the historic 2019 flood.
“We celebrate every time we’re able to get rid of one of these wooden bridges like this,” Doke said.
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Doke said the bridge has become a growing concern because of both its age and its weight restrictions. He said the bridge is currently limited to three tons, while a typical school bus weighs approximately 15 tons.
“It needed to be replaced years ago,” Corley said.
The commissioner said the project is also part of a broader county effort to eliminate aging wooden bridges throughout Muskogee County.
Once construction is complete, Doke said the total number of wooden bridges remaining in the county will drop to just five. For Corley, who frequently drives across the bridge, the replacement will bring peace of mind.
“It makes me extremely happy that they’re fixing that bridge, long overdue,” Corley said.
Doke said construction is expected to begin within the next few days and should take about two months to complete.
“I’m just really glad that they’re fixing it. I’m just anxious for them to get it done,” Corley said.
Clifton Haskin is your Muskogee reporter.
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