BIXBY, Okla. — Seeing over-sized loads rumbling across the Haikey Creek Bridge on East 121st Street just west of South Garnett Road on several occasions prompted a 2 News viewer to get out their phone to take video and photos to send to us.
The viewer believes the over-sized loads pose a safety risk to others on 121st and the bridge itself.
The viewer asked us to find out why it's happening since the bridge includes clear warnings:
- speed bumps to slow traffic
- signs warning it is weight-restricted
- and flags to catch driver's attention so they don't miss the warning signs.
We took the concerns to the City of Bixby since it put up the bumps and signs.
Here's what Bea Aamodt, Bixby Public Works Director, said:
“The 121st Street bridge, west of Garnett, is designated as a load rated bridge. The load rating limits the weight of vehicles that can cross the bridge. The City of Bixby continues to support load limits on the bridge. Signs have been placed reminding drivers of the restrictions.
The City will be participating in a scheduled meeting with Tulsa County and Broken Arrow to discuss enforcement strategies to limit truck and wide load traffic. To be clear, City of Bixby officials will continue to monitor the bridge conditions and will close the bridge at any time the structure is deemed unsafe for passenger travel.
We appreciate citizens patience and understanding as we work through the process in rectifying this issue as this is a priority of the City of Bixby.”
We also checked with Tulsa County and Broken Arrow.
Here's what the City of Broken Arrow said:
The City of Broken Arrow is aware of the challenges with the Haikey Creek bridge on 121st Street west of Garnett Road located outside its jurisdictional boundaries. We understand the City of Bixby has implemented a temporary repair in this area while it works diligently with other governmental agencies to secure the necessary funding for a permanent solution. City of Broken Arrow administration met last week with personnel from the City of Bixby and Tulsa County for a preliminary conversation regarding the scope of the situation involving vehicles carrying heavy loads over the bridge. We look forward to working with our regional partners by contributing to the discussion about potential resolutions that prioritize public safety and minimize the impact on local businesses and industries.
Here's what the City of Tulsa said:
“Tulsa County met with our community partners last week to discuss concerns of heavy loads utilizing the Bixby bridge. It’s early in the process, but we are committed to helping find a solution that benefits both residents and industry.”
Contact the Problem Solvers:
- 918-748-1502
- problemsolvers@kjrh.com
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter