ODOT Crews Making Emergency Repairs After Damage Found On Belle Isle Bridge

Lanes and ramps off the Belle Isle Bridge have to be closed after workers discover damage to the piers holding the bridge up. Meanwhile, inspectors have been checking out the other 90-plus piers and they expect to find even more damage.

About 100,000 vehicles come across the I-44 Bell Isle Bridge every day, including Jennifer Reategui.

“I live in Moore, so I come this way every day,” she said.

And she, like many drivers, noticed the crumbing concrete underneath the bridge.

“It looked kind of scary. It looked kind of cracked. So I'm glad they are doing something about it.”

When workers doing scheduled repairs chipped away some of that concrete, they noticed a bigger problem.

“When they started to do that, what they saw was very concerning to us,” said Terri Angier, with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT).

Years of salting and heavy use deteriorated the concrete and re-bar on the bridge. Workers closed down the ramps surrounding the bridge and started doing emergency repairs. Inspectors also started checking out the other piers.

“We think we will have a few more there. We found the level of damage on the westbound side, we're almost certain we will find some on the eastbound side,” said Angier.

This is the third time in a month that workers doing scheduled work uncovered more serious problems.

“To us the overall picture isn't a surprise, but we are frustrated we've found so many bridges, not in Oklahoma City, but in the state with similar problems.”

ODOT is already working on a permanent fix. The lane and ramp closures will likely last until late May or June while workers fix the piers for the interim, meaning Jennifer will have to take a detour, but she says that's OK, considering the possible alternative.

“I'm glad they figured that out,” she said.

The temporary repairs will cost about $3 million. There's no telling how much the project for the permanent repairs will run.