I was going to write about this, but I’m going to let Route 66 author and preservationist Jim Ross hold court for a bit. This is a partial text of an e-mail he sent today:
The Bird Creek Bridge (formerly known as the Verdigris River Bridge) at Catoosa near the Blue Whale now
has its neck stretched across ODOT’s chopping block. Some of you may have received a letter from them explaining why all the alternatives they supposedly considered won’t work, leaving replacement as the only option. The bridge was built in 1936 and carries westbound traffic. At 24 feet wide, it is 4 feet narrower than its eastbound “twin.” Strangely, ODOT did not use traffic count as justification, though they are pushing the idea of safety.
I talked to Melvena (at the state historical preservation office) about it, and she is not convinced that the bridge cannot continue facilitating traffic. ODOT initially tried to get her to enter the mitigation phase right away, but she refused, and subsequently asked Federal Highway to enter the process as a consulting partner, which they have done.
In addition, the National Park Service in Santa Fe has asked to become a consultant. What all this means is that the bridge ain’t dead yet and there is a fair chance we can save it. One crucial factor is that ODOT needs input from the public to help sway their decision-making.
If you can spare a few minutes to contact the individuals below, it could end up making the difference. Each time we do this, we are that much closer to ultimately changing ODOT’s (and other DOTs) thinking about how best to deal with these historic bridges. Thanks for listening, and thanks for your support!
John D. HartleyEnvironmental Program ManagerFHWA – Oklahoma Division5801 N. Broadway Extension, Suite 300Oklahoma City, OK 73118405-254-3341john.hartley@fhwa.dot.gov
Robert BartlettOklahoma Department of TransportationOklahoma Archaeological Survey111 E. ChesapeakeNorman, OK 73019405-325-7201rbartlett@ou.edu
Dawn SullivanPlanning and Research EngineerOklahoma Department of Transportation200 N.E. 21st StreetOklahoma City, OK 73105405-521-2927dsullivan@odot.org
A note: I’ve already written to the state about the Twin Bridges, and got a favorable response. I implored the state to “repair, don’t replace.” I think all of us want safe bridges, and I think that “repair, don’t replace” is an amenable and pragmatic solution. The state has already responded well to my request to mostly preserve the Captain Creek Bridge near Wellston and appear to be listening again.
If simply repairing the bridge isn’t possible, then I’m up for replacing the bridge with a design that resembles the old one. Again, pragmatism shouldn’t be tossed to the roadside.
UPDATE: Here’s a story about the bridge by The Oklahoman. Among those interviewed is Jim Ross, author of the “Oklahoma Route 66” guidebook.
(Photo courtesy of Guy Randall.)
I’ve recently been ‘crowned’ the Chair of the Family Friendly Tourism Sub-Committee for Team Catoosa which was created by the Catoosa Economic Development Authority.
One of the first orders of business is to bring a new appreciation for Route 66 through Catoosa, to get it better marked etc. We have tons and tons of ideas, but obviously have to start small. I’ve subscribed to your twitter and will follow you there.
Aside from my Catoosa Route 66 endeavors, I’m working on the bridge issue. I had thoughts of finding a way to salvage the bridge in the event we don’t win the ‘keep it in place’ battle. I just wanted you to know those of us in Catoosa are aware of the issue and that we are working to do something to preserve it whichever direction ODOT plans to go. Please feel free to contact me. I’d appreciate any suggestions, resources etc for my committee.
Thanks, Jennifer. It’s good there are some locals in Catoosa who are appreciative and willing to be active about Route 66 and its attractions. Please keep us posted.