Bridgeport Pony Bridge Closing to Traffic 10/31/22

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has notified the Oklahoma Route 66 Association that the US-281 Bridge across the South Canadian River, popularly known as the Pony Bridge near Bridgeport, Oklahoma, will be closing to traffic on Monday, October 31st. The rebuild project is currently expected to take roughly two years to complete  (weather permitting) and Route 66 travel in the area will require a detour. If you'd like to drive across the bridge one more time in its original form, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible.

If you are unaware of this project, here are the basic details: the iconic yellow trusses will be removed and rehabilitated while the deck is demolished. The existing piers will remain and a new deck (four feet wider but concrete to remain consistent with the original materials) will be built. The trusses will then be re-attached to the bridge; although they will no longer be load-bearing, it will maintain the visual aesthetic that the bridge is known for. Additionally, ODOT will be building a turn-out on the northwest side of the bridge to allow for safe parking, photography, and some interpretive panels so that travelers can learn about the history of the area. More information is available here.

This is going to be a long process but the plan is to have the new bridge completed and open in plenty of time for the Centennial in 2026. Previous proposals had included demolishing the entire bridge or bypassing it. This solution, which also received a $22 million federal grant, will continue to allow people to drive over this iconic spot with minor changes to the experience. Another ODOT project along Route 66, the Captain Creek Bridge in Wellston, employed similar methods during a rebuild and is a good example of what the finished results may look like.