ODOT awards $75M, 2-year contract to replace US-62 bridge over Arkansas River at Muskogee

Heads-up, Muskogee and Fort Gibson: travel over the Arkansas River will be a bit more crowded over the next couple years.

I'm excerpting a longer press release to focus in on the local impacts from this week's Oklahoma Transportation Commission meeting (read the full press release here):

US-62 bridges over the Arkansas River in Muskogee

ODOT launches work zone safety campaign; nearly $130 million in contracts awarded

Highlights of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission’s Monday, April 4, meeting include unveiling of a spring work zone safety awareness campaign by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, an update on federal transportation funding following recent congressional action and consideration of programming items for future traffic safety and highway signage projects. Contracts were awarded for major projects on US-62 in Muskogee County, US-259 in McCurtain County and US-69 in Atoka and Bryan counties.  

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Commissioners awarded contracts for several major highway improvements in Eastern Oklahoma, including a nearly $75 million project to reconstruct the US-62 bridges over the Arkansas River in Muskogee. The twin bridges span the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, also known as Marine Highway M-40, which supports waterborne freight traffic moving in and out of Oklahoma ports. Construction of the replacement structures will include pier protections around bridge support members in the river. 

They also approved contracts for intersection upgrades along US-259 in the Hochatown and Broken Bow areas and two projects to improve highway pavement on US-69 between Durant and Caddo and between Atoka and Stringtown.

Commissioners voted to award 27 contracts totaling more than $130 million to improve highways, roads and bridges in 26 counties. [...] The public may access a list of all awarded contracts at www.odot.org/contracts, selecting the March 2022 a.m. letting, clicking Submit, then Award at the bottom of the page.

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At its Monday, April 4, meeting, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved a nearly $75 million contract for reconstruction of the US-62 bridges over the Arkansas River in Muskogee, pictured [above]. The project, which also includes rehabilitation of the nearby US-62 bridges over N. 55th St. and the Union Pacific Railroad, is expected to take about two years to complete. The highway will remain open to traffic during construction, with US-62 narrowed to one lane in each direction at the bridge.

[Blogger's note: here is a link to the awarded contract on the Arkansas River bridge project]