UPDATE: On Tuesday evening, OTA announced on social media the cancellation of the work scheduled for overnight Tuesday.
The Turner Turnpike will have an eastbound closure Tuesday night, May 21, for bridge demolition. Crews will begin to demo the old Luther Road bridge over the Turner Turnpike.
The OTA says traffic will detour at Luther/Jones exit onto Route 66 and re-enter the Turnpike at Wellston. It doesn’t say whether the detour will route off of Hogback on to Triple X Road that is maintained by Oklahoma City and is in poor condition, or whether motorists can take Hogback that goes through Luther and becomes Main Street and then winds to Luther Road/Ash to get back to 66. Typically, semis are not routed through Main Street, according to Luther Police Department.
In a media advisory, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority said the closure is from 10 pm – 4 am, but the Oklahoma Highway Patrol alerted the Town of Luther that the closure will be from Tuesday at 7:30 pm – 5 am. Regardless, be aware of the demo and increased traffic through Luther.
Crews will continue the demolition Wednesday, May 22, westbound from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Traffic will detour at Wellston and take Route 66 to the Luther/Jones entrance for the Turner Turnpike.
EASTBOUND CLOSED TUESDAY OVERNIGHT
WESTBOUND CLOSED WEDNESDAY OVERNIGHT
OTA said the demolition is part of the Driving Forward projects and the Eastern Oklahoma County Turnpike, a new higher and wider Luther Road bridge was constructed and is open to traffic.
Motorists should make alternate travel plans during the overnight hours and obey all traffic signs within the construction zone.
The closure was delayed a day because of severe weather threats on Monday, but is still scheduled tonight after a day of flood management along roads in the area. In addition, the Town of Wellston Emergency Management posted this at about Noon on Tuesday regarding flood waters from the overnight storms.
NOON TUESDAY
Hwy 177 north of Hwy 66 is closed.
Hwy 102 south of Hwy 66 is closed
Fallis Road is closed
Cemetery Road is closed
3290/County Line/Pott Rd is closed
900 Rd is closed
860/3310 damaged
750/3320 damaged and washed out
840 3 miles west of Hwy 177 washed out
Hickory/Baseball Field Rd, closed
Town of Kendrick inaccessible
Areas among the Deep Fork are experiencing a large amount of flooding.DO NOT DRIVE AROUND BARRICADES AND INTO FLOOD WATERS. THE RIVER DISCHARGE AS OF 1100 AM WAS 32000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND. NORMAL IS A COUPLE HUNDRED. IF YOU GET IN THESE WATERS, THERE IS A VERY GOOD CHANCE YOU WILL BE A RECOVERY AND NOT A RESCUE.” Wellston Emergency Management.
