The historic Rock Creek Bridge west of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, closed to traffic for the second time in five years after flunking an inspection.
The Route 66 Alliance, based in nearby Tulsa, stated on its Facebook page Tuesday the bridge will stay open to pedestrians, however, as an engineering firm figures out what to do next.
Tourists drove over the bridge over the weekend, so the closure must have occurred quickly.
Route 66 enthusiast Rhys Martin of Tulsa snapped these photos Tuesday after learning about the bridge’s closing:
The 1924 bridge closed to traffic in March 2013 after engineers found problems with its support beams. The bridge was part of the original Ozark Trail and served Route 66 until 1952, when officials realigned the highway to the south. The Rock Creek Bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The bridge was shored up enough that officials reopened it to traffic in January 2015 with several restrictions — a hanging gate in front of the bridge kept away vehicles over 7 feet, 2 inches tall, and they imposed a weight limit of 4 tons. Total repairs cost about $8,000, covered by a $2,000 grant from Sapulpa Tourism, a $5,000 grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program and donations from the city of Sapulpa, Creek County and a local steel manufacturer.
To get to the 3.5-mile stretch of the Ozark Trail alignment of Route 66 near the bridge, one can go on Dixieland Road from Oklahoma Highway 66 (map here) or one can go to Oklahoma 66 and Nafcoat Lane (map here).
It’s also possible also can reach the Ozark Trail through the parking lot of the VFW post near the bridge, but the post often closes the gate to the road.
Here’s a video I produced about the Ozark Trail alignment near Sapulpa some years ago, before the bridge closed the first time:
(Images of the closed Rock Creek Bridge near Sapulpa, Oklahoma, courtesy of Rhys Martin)
Fellow Route 66 travelers, we have to watch this. Three weeks ago I drove the stretch of the Ozark trail and I liked it very much. I am afraid this bridge is threatened. To many things belong to : “there today, gone tomorrow”.
I passed the Gardenway Motel in Gray Summit. It closed not so long ago, but it is deteriorating fast.
Fred from the Netherlands
I’m leaving tomorrow to do a 1/3 trip from Tulsa to Chicago. If the bridge is out how do I get to the other side to see what’s on the other side? Thanks.
Continue west past the turnoff to the bridge (it can be seen easily from the highway) to a road that will curve to take you back to the east and the other side of the bridge. I believe it’s the first road on the north side of the highway, but I’m not sure. But it’s easy to see.