Roosevelt Bridge Replacement: Oklahoma starts $408m Lake Texoma span; traffic stays on old US-70

More than eight decades after the Roosevelt Bridge first carried traffic across Lake Texoma, Oklahoma has begun work on a massive replacement project that will reshape one of the region’s most important transportation links. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) says the more than $408 million project will replace the aging US-70 bridge while keeping the existing structure open throughout construction. Details from ODOT, Equipment World and local broadcaster KXII confirm the project’s record scale, historic origins and planned 2029 completion.The US-70 Roosevelt Bridge opened in 1945, connecting Bryan and Marshall counties across Lake Texoma in southeastern Oklahoma. The original structure stretches roughly 4,900 feet and consists of 87 spans, including a distinctive Warren through-truss central span. ODOT records describe that central span as the only surviving example of its type on Oklahoma’s highway system with a polygonal top chord.Now, 81 years after its opening, the bridge is approaching the end of its useful life. An analysis found the structure at risk of becoming structurally deficient and classified it as functionally obsolete, prompting years of planning for ...