CLAREMORE, Okla. — The City of Claremore is confident a new state-of-the-art bridge project should have a significant impact on the community.
Shipping and receiving are at the crux of running business at MST Manufacturing. The Claremore-based company manufactures everything from VW parts and wheels to parts for helicopters and Boeing 737s.
Owner Kenneth Statton says Lowry Road, which leads in MST and several other businesses in the industrial park, can be a flooding nightmare. Sometimes, staff members can’t get in to work. Trucks hauling massive amounts of products haven’t been able to get in and it hinders business.
“We’ll get a notice that our shipment has been delayed 3-4 days and that could be $300 worth of stuff or $50 to $60,000 worth of raw material,” Statton said.
With several businesses in the industrial intersection, City Manager John Feary says any road closures due to flooding creates an unbelievable ripple effect.
“It’s not just closing down Claremore,” said Feary. “You’re potentially affecting commerce around the globe.”
However, a $2.5 million steel bridge project underway is set to fix the problem. Over the years, the city has made minor repairs to the road but it hasn’t been enough for a permanent fix.
So, if flooding and shutting the road is globally detrimental, one would think a construction project would have the same effect. Thanks to a new bridge design created by Glenpool-based Premier Steel, the project should be done in a fraction of the time.
“What used to take weeks or months to build a bridge, you can literally place a bridge, pour the concrete and cure it in a day and a half to two days,” said Feary.
“I think this is a game changer,” he said. “Especially for a state that has done a great job of eradicating deficient bridges over the last few years. But for cities and towns that the state doesn’t operate, this is an affordable, fast fix.”
Bridge installation is scheduled for sometime in the next 30 days.
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