The historic Lake Overholser Bridge, on an old alignment of Route 66 in the western edge of Oklahoma City, will eventually be rehabilitated without affecting its appearance.
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association informed me that the bridge had been recently closed to traffic because it had deteriorated too much. However, a letter from David Wrights at the City of Oklahoma City to the association clarified a lot of things about the bridge’s future:
The bridge is a historic structure and will be preserved in as near the original state as possible. At this time plans are being prepared to repair the bridge so it can be used for vehicular traffic. The schedule is not certain, but it should be such that all repairs are completed within 5 years from now.
The bridge was built in 1924, thus predating Route 66, and was mentioned in John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath.”
The bridge is used frequently by residents living on the west side of the lake, so the city undoubtedly has some incentive to repair it.
(Photo courtesy of Guy Randall.)
I’ve ridden my bicycle over that bridge many times, and rode my motorcycle over it a few times. Thank God it’s being spared.
When are they going to remove the damn they created under this bridge? Now I can’t take my boat up river to fish THANKS ALOT.