<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3eo132_1FULDIzv00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3eo132_1FULDIzv00" width="800" height="450" >TULSA, Okla. — Drivers on the Creek Turnpike between south Tulsa and Broken Arrow are shifting lanes again as construction continues on the bridge long known as the "Roller Coaster Bridge."Construction crews recently finished the new eastbound bridge.Beginning Friday, westbound drivers will shift onto the new bridge, with one lane of traffic moving in each direction until the project is complete.The bridge has been known for its bumpy ride for more than two decades.Randy Smith, who drove the bridge with FOX23 Investigative Reporter Janna Clark a decade ago, said it was clear something was wrong."I'm sure it wasn't designed to go bouncy bouncy," Smith said.The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority opened the bridge to drivers in 2001.It cost about $20 million to build.Smith said drivers expected a smooth bridge."We expected a bridge that was smooth and what we got was not."In 2015, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority told FOX23 the bridge was safe, writing, "There is nothing wrong with the bridge except that it is bouncy."At the time, however, the Turnpike Authority also acknowledged the bridge was not built as designed.The agency said the bridge beams were designed to settle more than they actually did when concrete was poured onto the structure.Since the beams did not settle as expected, the agency explained, "you have rolls in the bridge."A decade after that, the Turnpike Authority board decided to rebuild the bridge.The current project is expected to cost $72 million and includes replacing all 484 concrete beams, repairing the walls and updating the concrete decking.The Turnpike Authority has described the work as routine rehabilitation that would have needed to occur during the lifespan of the bridge.The agency said it is addressing the bridge's rideability while the other structural work is being done.For drivers, the bumpy ride has caused problems.Broken Arrow resident Colby Morrison told FOX23 that driving the bridge at the speed limit could cause his vehicle to bump and shake."If you get a speed that's actually the speed limit on the road, you might start to bump, shake, all types of stuff like a rollercoaster," said Morrison. "My undercarriage actually came undone and had to get it completely replaced."The Turnpike Authority began construction on the bridge last November.The project is now about halfway complete.After traffic shifts on Friday, workers will demolish the existing westbound bridge and rebuild it.The Turnpike Authority said the entire project is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2027 and is currently on schedule.Clark asked what engineers are doing differently this time to make sure the new bridge doesn't have the same roller coaster feel.The Turnpike Authority told FOX23 the new bridge will be smooth and said it has added specifications to address ride quality."In recent years, the OTA has included smoothness specifications that hold both the design engineer and construction contractor accountable for the ride quality," the agency stated.The cost of the project is significantly higher than the original $20 million construction price in 2001.The Turnpike Authority told FOX23 the increase is due in part to inflation, saying it has seen a 60% increase in inflation on almost all construction costs during the past four years.When this section of the Creek Turnpike first opened, the toll was about $1 each way.Today, drivers pay about $2.50. </div></body>

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TULSA, Okla. — Drivers on the Creek Turnpike between south Tulsa and Broken Arrow are shifting lanes again as construction continues on the bridge long known as the "Roller Coaster Bridge." Construction crews recently finished the new eastbound bridge. Beginning Friday, westbound drivers will shift onto the new bridge,...

Turnpike Authority changes course on 'Roller Coaster Bridge' after decades of bumps

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TULSA, Okla. — Drivers on the Creek Turnpike between south Tulsa and Broken Arrow are shifting lanes again as construction continues on the bridge long kno

Turnpike Authority changes course on 'Roller Coaster Bridge' after decades of bumps

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