TULSA, Okla. — During a routine bridge inspection on Tuesday, crews discovered an 11-inch crack in one of the beams, forcing them to shut down one lane along Highway 75 heading northbound, and it’s been a traffic nightmare for drivers ever since.
"This bridge is impacting so many people in our Tulsa community,” says Sally Mulready.
Mulready is a local real estate agent who lives in the area and spends a majority of her day in her car.
“To have Highway 75 backed up and down to one lane, I tell you it's difficult. There is only that one highway from all things south and Glenpool to really be able to get up to the downtown area,” she said.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation says the area most impacted by the bridge repair is on the northbound 75 bridge over Polecat Creek, between the Creek Turnpike and 96th street in Jenks.
And although the traffic delays are a headache, Mulready says she is grateful to the inspectors for keeping people safe.
'It's concerning and yet I get it. I'm so grateful that we have bridge inspectors because that's what they are hired to do. Thank the Lord that they have found this, and that they are now able to stop and do something about it.,” said Mulready.
We caught up with driver, Pat Volki running errands in Jenks.
She says the lane closure caught her completely off guard.
"I was coming home, and I took the Creek, and I got off on the exit heading north on 75, and it was right there just as I came off the exit, but there was no warning when I got off the Creek. I don't know, it just kind of hit me all of a sudden and there were other cars coming too,” said Volki.
ODOT is currently putting together a repair project for an emergency contract to make the repairs needed along the bridge.
At this time, they estimate the lane closure will remain in place for several weeks.
As an alternative route, ODOT says drivers can travel west to US 75A and connect to SH-66 in Sapulpa.
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