At Least 20 Vehicles Damaged Due To Expansion Joint On I-35 Bridge In OKC

A large piece of metal sticking out of the middle lane of southbound Interstate 35 damaged least 20 vehicles Saturday. 

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation said an expansion joint popped up in the middle of the highway.

An expansion joint is a metal device that goes between concrete slabs on a bridge allowing it to move and expand and contract because of changes in temperature.

ODOT said it's unclear exactly what caused the damage.

“Over time, of course, it will deteriorate but it can also be damaged by a heavy load or something that is dragging on the ground and scraping the pavement and hitting it,” explained ODOT Spokesperson Cody Boyd.

ODOT crews cut the piece of metal off so they could re-open traffic. Traffic was slowed down from around 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

There is no timetable on permanent repairs to the bridge.

As for repairing all those damaged vehicles, drivers can contact the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) to make a claim.

“Those are investigated very thoroughly because that is taxpayers’ money that ultimately goes to pay those claims,” said Boyd.

To make a claim call OMES at 405-521-4999 and request a claim form.