Built in 1933, this bridge, constructed by John Alderson, is an excellent example of what the typical 1930's highway bridge in Oklahoma looked like. It stands in good unaltered condition and shows many design detail often lost on other similar vintage bridges from repairs or rebuilding. The bridge consists of a single 100-foot riveted Parker pony span plus three steel stringer approach spans giving a total bridge length of 253 feet. The first photo, above, looks through the bridge showing two approach spans before the pony span. It was a foggy morning when we visited.
Below, a side view of the steel truss span.
Above, a side view showing the steel stringer spans and the truss. The railing you see on the steel stringer spans is concrete and is what we have been calling the concrete "fence" style guard rail. The horizontal rails were pre-cast, and the posts are site-cast, and feature a recessed panel detail. This design was used extensively until about 1939 or 1940, when the panel detail was replaced by a art-deco style motif.
Below, in this view, you can clearly see the abandoned concrete abutment of an earlier structure that once existed here.
Above, a detail of the truss and a view of the single approach end of the bridge. You can also see another abandoned abutment under the approach span.
Below, adjacent to the bridge crossing the creek is this flood relief bridge. It is noteworthy for its good condition. Structures such as this are not ugly concrete eyesore bridges, as many new bridges are with their unimaginative monolithic concrete railings.
Above, a side view of the flood relief bridge. It consists of a series of steel stringer spans supported by concrete capped wood piles.
1724 0864 X
Back to Oklahoma Bridges.