ODOT Officials Order Bridge Modifications

Staff and Wire Reports

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma transportation officials have ordered modifications to bridges in the state that are similar to one that was involved in a deadly collapse in Minnesota in 2007.

Gary Evans, the chief engineer for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, said Tuesday that officials have ordered a design review of 95 truss bridges in the state. Evans says reports on 30 of the bridges have been received so far and that nine of them needed modification.

Eight of those bridges have been modified. Work is planned for the ninth bridge, which is located in Cherokee County and crosses Dry Creek.

Officials say a study of the Minnesota bridge collapse indicated inadequate gusset plates may have played a role in that structure's failure. Gusset plates connect structural members that are part of a truss bridge's design.

Officials say Oklahoma's bridges have never been dangerous, but the changes were necessary to increase the amount of weight they can hold.

"These design reviews are simply where a consultant took a set of plans the bridge was originally constructed under and looked at that design based on today's technology and today's design parameters," said Evans.

About two weeks ago, ODOT shut down two bridges, one in Garvin County, the other in Choctaw County, but they have now been reopened.

Check out Oklahoma's bridges, structural conditions and see sufficiency ratings on News9.com's Oklahoma Bridge Tracker.