Lake Overholser Bridge may become pedestrian-only

First, the good news about the old Lake Overholser Bridge on an old alignment of Route 66, as told by the Daily Oklahoman:

Now the bridge, just outside Bethany city limits, is to be restored by Oklahoma City. The restored bridge will lead to a project Hoskison envisioned: a statue of Will Rogers in a small park at the intersection of State Highway 66 and North Overholser Drive.

Now, the bad news:

Oklahoma City’s plan is to restore the bridge in 2008 and reopen it to pedestrian traffic only, said Dennis Clowers, Oklahoma City’s public works director. […]

The bridge has more significance ahead, he said, because it is only about 100 yards from a planned retail district in Bethany — to be called Bridge Pointe — with shops and restaurants similar to Moore’s Riverwalk district. Construction on the project is expected to begin soon in an undeveloped area southeast of 8500 N. Overholser Drive and 4000 E. Overholser Drive, Hoskison said.

Converting the bridge to pedestrian-only is a bittersweet development. I’ve always enjoyed driving over that bridge, as it is a true link to Route 66 history: it was built in 1924 (predating Route 66) and was mentioned in John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath.” Perhaps keeping the bridge open to automobile traffic was too taxing on the structure.

Also, a development near the bridge will remove much of the area’s serenity. Still, an old Route 66 bridge becoming a centerpiece of a commercial district isn’t entirely a bad thing — not by a long shot.

Keeping the bridge is better than tearing it down and building a new, nondescript bridge. So I’m looking at the water glass being half-full here.

(Photo courtesy of Guy Randall.)