NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is making the final repairs on a bridge connecting Lexington and Purcell that has been closed since January, creating a commuting nightmare for residents of the two communities.
The Norman Transcript reports that the bridge is scheduled to re-open on Saturday. Normally, it takes about five minutes to drive between the communities, but the closure has upped that to 45 minutes.
Larry Clore, ODOT public information officer, says continuing cracks during the repair process added to the safety hazards that already existed. An initial count of 11 cracks was recorded in February when a contract was awarded for bridge repairs, but the number of cracks grew even after the repairs had begun.
Repairs were launched on Feb. 14 and have cost about $20 million.