KSWO, Lawton, OK- Wichita Falls, TX: News, Weather, Sports. ABC, 24/7, Telemundo –
COMANCHE CO., Okla_ A once-crumbling bridge in Eastern Comanche County is now in top shape, thanks to some much-needed materials donated by the state.
Eastern District Commissioner Gail Turner said due to years of wear and tear, the bridge, located on Wolf Road just southeast of Elgin, was only able to hold about three tons at capacity. That’s about the size of a pickup truck. Turner said crews were able to use recycled materials donated by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s Cross-town Beams project to fix it.
If the county were to have this particular bridge project contracted, it would cost about $300,000. The steel beams that the state donated are worth about $10,000 each. That’s money that the county can use towards other projects, and it also helps speed up the process of work on the county’s many dilapidated bridges.
As crews worked to complete this once crumbling bridge Eastern District Commissioner Gail Turner said the bridge’s previous condition is similar to too many other bridges in the county.
“The bridge has been here for lots and lots of years,” Turner said. “A lot of our bridges have been here 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 years, and they were built of wood and small materials. Now, our traffic is heavier and bigger. These bridges weren’t built for this kind of traffic that we have.”
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