This seems like a pretty big deal for the people who live there. If I recall right, it used to just be 2 or 3 miles to cross now turns into a 30 mile detour.


CLEVELAND COUNTY, Oklahoma - The James C. Nance Memorial Bridge connecting Purcell and Lexington is expected to be closed for several months.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, on Monday, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission asked probing questions to ODOT engineers on ways to expedite repairs to the bridge, which was shut down on Friday, January 31.

Authorities say 22 cracks were found in the bridge beams, ranging from one inch to almost seven inches. The bridge, which has a similar design to the Minnesota I-35W bridge that collapsed in 2007, has cracks severe enough that the bridge could potentially collapse under its own weight.


It is estimated that a contract will be awarded in March following specialized design plans by truss bridge experts Modjeski and Masters, who were consulted because of the bridge's fracture critical design.

ODOT officials say they are in the early stages of preparing a replacement for the bridge, but construction is likely years away due to the $40 million price tag.

- Bridge Connecting Purcell, Lexington Closed For Several Months - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/24622183/bridge-connecting-purcell-lexington-closed-for-several-months)

http://kwtv.images.worldnow.com/images/24635416_BG1.jpg


LEXINGTON, Oklahoma - Tempers flare in the small cities and towns near Purcell and Lexington as motorists try to get used to a new reality in the area. The bridge connecting Lexington and Purcell is shut down and many people now have a 34 mile detour to deal with for a trip that used to be only a mile long.
"I'm doing a hundred and forty miles," said Don Mills. "Seventy miles, round trip."

Mills has to drop his wife off and pick her up from a job just over the bridge in Purcell. He is not alone. According to a spokesperson with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, 9,000 vehicles were traveling across the bridge every day before it was shut down.

- http://www.news9.com/story/24635416/tempers-flare-over-closed-bridge-from-lexington-to-purcell

Well, I was close :p

I wonder how much more that $40 million replacement structure will have to wait with Fallin's proposed 5% funding cuts to reduce state tax rates to the richest Oklahomans.

This is really crazy. How sucky would it be to live in Lexington right about now. What if people end up moving because of this, Lexington could become a ghost town.

I wonder how much more that $40 million replacement structure will have to wait with Fallin's proposed 5% funding cuts to reduce state tax rates to the richest Oklahomans.Don't want to make this political, but I really can't understand her reasoning behind increased spending and decreasing the tax revenue.

The lack of river crossings down this was is ridiculous.

Don't want to make this political, but I really can't understand her reasoning behind increased spending and decreasing the tax revenue.

You can pass the 8th grade Math EOC exam. Not too sure about some of the people in the big gray buildings on 23rd Street.

What a mess this is!!

The lack of river crossings down this was is ridiculous.

This is obviously a major problem for them but there is little that would have justified more river crossings in that area and you can't just build spare bridges to be used in case one gets closed.

This is obviously a major problem for them but there is little that would have justified more river crossings in that area and you can't just build spare bridges to be used in case one gets closed.

Perhaps could be one west out of Slaughterville that ran to I-35 or better yet one out of Noble. There really isn't any reason why someone should have to drive up to Norman and take Hwy 9 around.

noble needs a river crossing and connection to I-35.

It appears that this is going to be fast tracked.

Governor to discuss Purcell bridge repairs | News OK (http://newsok.com/governor-to-discuss-purcell-bridge-repairs/article/3931302)

Going to be hard to do anything with this bridge with 5% coming off ODOT's budget.

noble needs a river crossing and connection to I-35.
We need bridge over the river in the Noble / SE Norman area that would give those folks better access to I-35 and help relive congestion.

There has been a proposed east metro bypass. A bridge over the river should be part of this bypass.

Fallin Declares State Of Emergency Due To Bridge Closure - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/24662887/fallin-declares-state-of-emergency-due-to-lexington-purcell-bridge-closure)

Faster than I would have anticipated merely a few days ago. Credit where credit is due. This is not a densely populated area, but that bridge is important to a significant portion of the population which is present.

Some good news.


ODOT Make Progress In Fixing Bridge Between Purcell And Lexington

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma Department of Transportation made another step forward in the process of fixing and re-opening the James C. Nance bridge that connects Purcell and Lexington.
The bridge was closed down on January 31 after inspectors deemed it to be unsafe. Since then, business owners and commuters have complained about the problems the closure has caused.

According to ODOT, the bridge was closed after 17 cracks were found by inspectors on some of the 264 load-bearing areas of the bridge. ODOT crews have been taking steps to prevent more cracks from developing but the next step will be to get a contractor in place to make additional repairs and install reinforcements at each of the 264 places on the bridge.

"They're going to put in two splints of either side of the area of the crack and running a rod through to where even if the crack was formed again, then the weight of the bridge and the amount of weight that would be on this bridge could still be sustained by the repairs we're putting in place," said Terri Angier with ODOT.

ODOT's guidelines for the project include a $5million base repair estimate. The contractor will have to complete all repairs within 120 and have the bridge open to passenger cars within 45 days. Angier said ODOT expects bidders to come in with an even shorter timetable and said there are big incentives to finish early.

- ODOT Make Progress In Fixing Bridge Between Purcell And Lexingto - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/24708916/odot-make-progress-in-fixing-bridge-between-purcell-and-lexington)

Remember several years ago when a Barge struck the bridge on the Ark River and I-40 was Shut down, ODOT is using the same Bidding procedures to get this up and passable with in the shortest time frame they can .. Lots of bonuses if they beat a deadline and Penalty's if they miss it .. the Contractor who got the Bid on the I-40 Bridge got like 2 million extra for beating the ODOT deadline for completion (like 2500 per day either way)

Don't want to make this political, but I really can't understand her reasoning behind increased spending and decreasing the tax revenue.

If it works pretty good to get victory winning votes, why not keep on doing it?

Muskogee company awarded $10.8 million contract to repair Lexington-Purcell bridge (http://www.normantranscript.com/previous/x1783672145/Muskogee-company-awarded-10-8-million-contract-to-repair-Lexington-Purcell-bridge)

If any other state agency showed this level of incompetence heads would be rolling - starting at the top. So what inoculates ODOT and Secretary of Transportation Ridley from consequences?

Oklahoma Transportation Department repairs caused bridge cracks, officials say | NewsOK.com (http://m.newsok.com/oklahoma-transportation-department-repairs-caused-bridge-cracks-officials-say/article/3935301)

wow.... ODOT really needs a complete overhaul. We need to be able to take out loans for certain road and highway projects and ODOT should also be relieved of their influence the rails and a new rail department needs to be formed.

There is legislation pending that would establish an Oklahoma Rail Commission outside of ODOT with virtually zero added cost to the state budget. Yet it has been held in Senate Committee so the Gov will not be put on the spot and forcing her to veto or sign. You know - demonstrate a little leadership outside of the talking points provided by handlers.

Any chance it will be considered this year? That sucks they are holding it.

Not sure - I suggest calling your state rep and Senator and ask them to pass it. Word was there were sufficient votes to override a veto and one of the Senators was trying to shield the Gov from having a veto overridden. I'll find the Bill numbers for you.

I'll definitely call in and make my voice heard, at least by someone.

It is too bad the river is not a deep enough for a ferry service.

Most of the time the river I shallow enough you could walk across it. I heard someone mention the temporary military bridges they used in Iraq would be great in this situation but haven't heard anything further. I'm not familiar with these bridges so don't know...may be worth looking into. It's a pretty difficult situation for a lot of families in Lex and Purcell that commute everyday.

This is golden opportunity for Lexington and Purcell, if they would only seize the chance. On the Purcell side they should reroute the bridge approach so that it puts cars on Main St instead of by-passing their business district. On the Lexington side they should remove SR 77 which by-passes their entire business area and restore their street grid. People wonder why these small towns are dying - well here is their answer, they routed everyone around their local economic engines. Finally, they should put a toll on the bridge to encourage businesses to open on both sides of the river. You can already see proof of this concept working because one bank is already opening a branch on the Lexington side temporarily. When is the last time a bank opened in Lexington?

I spoke with the owner of a lumber yard in Lexington a few days ago....
She said that her business was down by about 75%.
She said that business had increased at a Purcell lumber yard by about 75%
Nobody in that area would want a toll bridge.

One of the complicating factors and reasons why this bridge is so long is because there are several sets of rail road tracks below the bridge... It makes a temporary bridge and the approaches more costly

The person who owns the Lexington store front where the new bank is, is benefiting. So are the 1,000 customers of this bank who live on the Lexington side of the river. If 75% of Person's Lumber business is on the Purcell side of the river then they are obviously located on the wrong side of the river. Besides, a toll doesn't mean people can't cross - it would just mean that people choosing to do so would be the ones paying for it. Add it to the states turnpike system so tax dollars aren't used. I think a 50 cent one-way toll is reasonable (pay going into Purcell). Maybe then the state could afford some of those income tax cuts.

People wonder why these small towns are dying - well here is their answer, they routed everyone around their local economic engines.

Really, Kerry? I think the people who live there would be very surprised to hear that their towns are dying.

To JTF


Population in 2012: 5,952 (81% urban, 19% rural). Population change since 2000: +6.8%

Read more: Purcell, Oklahoma (OK 73080) profile: population, maps, real estate, averages, homes, statistics, relocation, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, moving, houses, news (http://www.city-data.com/city/Purcell-Oklahoma.html#ixzz2tvj7ErrH)


Population in 2012: 2,197 (94% urban, 6% rural). Population change since 2000: +5.3%

Read more: Lexington, Oklahoma (OK 73051) profile: population, maps, real estate, averages, homes, statistics, relocation, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, moving, houses, news (http://www.city-data.com/city/Lexington-Oklahoma.html#ixzz2tvjDS7zk)

Sure is a shame to hear about these dying towns

To JTF





Sure is a shame to hear about these dying towns


YEP Because the lumber yard owner in Lexington told me that “quite a few new homes have been built” near the Lexington area in recent months....So the most recent statistics may not have a full handle on the local population numbers?.....

I can assure you these towns are not dying. Will they always be "small" towns?...probably so, but with I-35 running right beside both towns they won't be going anywhere soon.

Not sure about Lexington, but I've heard from multiple people that Purcell and the surrounding area is really on a roll with the local economy booming, so I would only assume the same thing for Lexington. Also have seen a couple articles how the suburbs posted their strongest year for growth in 2013 since 2008.

Not sure about Lexington, but I've heard from multiple people that Purcell and the surrounding area is really on a roll with the local economy booming, so I would only assume the same thing for Lexington. Also have seen a couple articles how the suburbs posted their strongest year for growth in 2013 since 2008.

Yep.... There is a big oil boom in the SCOOP play just to the west of that area.
Not too many folks in OKC or the out of state crowd really comprehends the significances of this new play to our state.
There is housing shortage in someplace. There are plenty of small towns that are booming in population relative to their size and due to a oil / ng boom. People are living in tents and cars.

The Purcell area has also seen I significant influx of people in the horse industry in the past 20 years... Some of them moved in from California because of how screwed up that state has become.

Is Scoop comparable to what is going in the Midland-Odessa area? That would be awesome if so.

Is Scoop comparable to what is going in the Midland-Odessa area? That would be awesome if so.
Its debatable at this point. CLR indicates that its much larger, some say its not...
The west Texas stuff is a huge deal too.
Right now the Scoop is not as well developed so I don't think anyone can say with any great certainty just how big it is but its fair to say that both are very big plays. They may be consider as giant's in oil field terms....?
If Harold Hamm of CLR is correct with what he thinks about the SCOOP it would easily be the largest oil play in Oklahoma history.
Over time the SCCOP will pump many billions into our states economy.
OU and Norman are well positioned to benefit as well.

ANALYSIS-Oil drillers in Oklahoma hope to 'SCOOP' competitors (http://www.cnbc.com/id/101343895)

NEW YORK, Jan 17 (Reuters) - A handful of energy firms are rushing their rigs to several counties in southern Oklahoma, convinced they've found the next shale play to expand America's oil boom.

While the number of rigs is levelling off in places like the North Dakota Bakken, oil drilling by companies including Continental Resources and Marathon Oil is quickening in what is known as the South Central Oklahoma Oil Province, or SCOOP, analysts and officials say.

Continental, known for being one of the first wildcatters to spot the commercial opportunities in the now huge Bakken formation, calls SCOOP a "world class resource," and estimates it could contain 70 billion barrels of oil.

By comparison, Continental estimates North Dakota's Bakken shale oil play contains 24 billion barrels of recoverable oil.

Although some experts are waiting for more data before declaring SCOOP a major find, it is creating a quiet buzz amid growing evidence of heightened activity.

"We consider SCOOP one of the top emerging plays in the U.S," said Andrew Byrne, director of energy equity research at IHS in Boston, Massachusetts.

Oil rigs in Oklahoma jumped 17 last week to 155, according to Baker Hughes, the biggest one-week increase in three years. It is nearing the oil rig count in boom state North Dakota, which stands at 168 and is largely unmoved in recent months.

Although the data does not specify whether the rigs are in SCOOP or in one of several other Oklahoma fields, or whether they are drilling traditional vertical wells or shale-related horizontal ones, the focus for many firms is clear.

Continental plans to boost the number of rigs in SCOOP from 12 to 18 this year, and will spend $900 million dollars of its $4 billion budget there, a spokeswoman said.

Marathon did not comment beyond the information provided to analysts last month, and another prominent driller, Newfield Exploration Company, did not respond to requests for comment. Both companies are expected to shed more light on their plans during quarterly earnings in the coming weeks.

A SOUTHERN EXTENSION

SCOOP is helping revive oil production in Oklahoma, one of America's oldest oil patches.

Most shale drilling in the state has yielded natural gas. But oil output has risen by over 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) over the past two years, reaching a near 25-year high of 323,000 bpd in October, according to U.S. government data. Over a quarter of that is thanks to SCOOP, company data show.

Part of the Woodford Shale formation, SCOOP is a southern extension of the Cana play, a belt several miles wide containing wet gas, according to Rick Andrews, a geologist with the Oklahoma Geological Survey at the Oklahoma University.

Continental and Newfield first started exploring SCOOP in 2012, but output only began ramping up last year. Since then, others have joined. Marathon Oil Group expanded its play in Cana south to invest sizeable resources in SCOOP, the company told analysts in a December presentation.

Continental's founder and Chief Executive Officer Harold Hamm called SCOOP the company's "stealth play," according to President and Chief Operating Officer Rick Bott.

"We invested and saw some oil results, so we leased large, large, large footprints," said Bott. "We secured the lion's share of the acreage in what we think is this play."

Matt Portillo, managing director of equity and research for Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co, said activity has materially increased in SCOOP in the last six months and that he expects Newfield to double its rig count this year.

BIG, OR NOT?

Early excitement in a shale formation does not necessarily spell success.

Companies flocked to the Collingwood shale in Michigan in 2010 in a giant collective land grab, only for wells to disappoint. The Utica shale in Ohio, initially touted as a major oil find when drilling began in 2011, is now proven to be filled with less lucrative natural gas.

Portillo sees SCOOP maxing out at about 100,000 bpd in 2018, around three times what it pumps now -- versus nearly 1 million bpd from the Bakken or the Eagle Ford in Texas.

"The oil is fairly immaterial in terms of the production numbers," Portillo said of current SCOOP output compared with other plays.

Continental has been outspoken about SCOOP. Its wells produced 20,070 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the third quarter 2013, a nearly 300 percent increase year-on-year, according to securities filings.

Moreover, the location of SCOOP, not far from existing pipelines and a major storage hub in Cushing, could eliminate problems experienced in other more remote drilling areas that have relied on trains and barges to bring product to market.

Analysts, meanwhile, maintain that there is potential.

"Geologically it has three hydrocarbon windows similar to the Eagle Ford," said Byrne at IHS in Boston. "That means its got an oil window and an oil content that companies want to target. The actual size of the potential is not defined yet, but it all looks really positive."

Its debatable at this point. CLR indicates that its much larger, some say its not...
The west Texas stuff is a huge deal too.
Right now the Scoop is not as well developed so I don't think anyone can say with any great certainty just how big it is but its fair to say that both are very big plays. They may be consider as giant's in oil field terms....?
If Harold Hamm of CLR is correct with what he thinks about the SCOOP it would easily be the largest oil play in Oklahoma history.
Over time the SCCOP will pump many billions into our states economy.
OU and Norman are well positioned to benefit as well.That is extremely exciting!

ODOT repairs to this bridge in 2013 caused this year's closure, so says ODOT officials: Oklahoma Transportation Department repairs caused bridge cracks, officials say | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-transportation-department-repairs-caused-bridge-cracks-officials-say/article/3935301)

In a Journal Record story today (Deathtrap: Moore tornado debris reveals construction flaws, code violations | The Journal Record (http://journalrecord.com/2014/02/20/deathtrap-moore-tornado-debris-reveals-construction-flaws-code-violations-real-estate/)), the Briarwood and Plaza Towers elementary schools in Moore were found to have been improperly designed and built, contributing to the deaths and injuries there.

So I post those two stories in this thread with the question: What ever became of competent governmental oversight on public construction projects?

okay fine - scrap the toll idea then but both towns could really benefit from having people go through their downtown businesses instead of around them.

They need to have two bridges built. A lot of people already go to their downtowns. Why does there have to be a toll to go downtown?

They need to have two bridges built. A lot of people already go to their downtowns. Why does there have to be a toll to go downtown?

The toll would encourage people not to cross the bridge, which in turn would result in businesses expanding on both sides of the river to server their customers. Plus, why shouldn't the people in Lexington and Purcell pay for their own bridge? Anyhow, like my previous post, scrap the toll idea if it is too scary.

People in Lexington and Purcell shouldn't pay for their own bridge because it's not "their" bridge. It's a state highway (Highway 39). The state messed it up, so the state should pay for it. Adding a toll would be a slap in the face to these communities.

So like I said 2 times already - drop the toll idea and just reroute the approaches.

Ok cool. I disagree with you on rerouting the Purcell side, not sure about the Lex side. Purcell's Main Street is only a block away and the occupancy rate is pretty well full. Main Street Purcell is very walkable, two lane with center parking. Rerouting a state highway thru here would not improve downtown. Not to mention the Amtrack station at the bottom of the Main Street hill would have to be relocated.

ODOT repairs to this bridge in 2013 caused this year's closure, so says ODOT officials: Oklahoma Transportation Department repairs caused bridge cracks, officials say | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-transportation-department-repairs-caused-bridge-cracks-officials-say/article/3935301)

In a Journal Record story today (Deathtrap: Moore tornado debris reveals construction flaws, code violations | The Journal Record (http://journalrecord.com/2014/02/20/deathtrap-moore-tornado-debris-reveals-construction-flaws-code-violations-real-estate/)), the Briarwood and Plaza Towers elementary schools in Moore were found to have been improperly designed and built, contributing to the deaths and injuries there.

So I post those two stories in this thread with the question: What ever became of competent governmental oversight on public construction projects?

Blasphemy!

Don't you know any oversight is a LIBERAL (!!!!!!) plot to come take your guns, close your church, and send you to a FEMA camp. Sheesh.

Or is it simply people are OK with always taking the cheapest option? Cost of everything, value of nothing........

The toll would encourage people not to cross the bridge, which in turn would result in businesses expanding on both sides of the river to server their customers. Plus, why shouldn't the people in Lexington and Purcell pay for their own bridge? Anyhow, like my previous post, scrap the toll idea if it is too scary.Why wouldn't you want the two communities to work together? You really don't like things on a large scale do you? I understand self sufficiency is a good thing most of the time--and I try to be just that, when and where I can--however, it isn't all bad having to rely on other people for things and creating a regional or global trade of commerce.

Purcell-Lexington bridge repairs could be delayed after more cracks found | News OK (http://newsok.com/purcell-lexington-bridge-repairs-could-be-delayed-after-more-cracks-found/article/3940356)

Bridge opening between Purcell and Lexington will be delayed | News OK (http://newsok.com/bridge-opening-between-purcell-and-lexington-will-be-delayed/article/3941793)

Oklahoma Cities Reeling From Sudden Bridge Closure - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/25037400/oklahoma-cities-reeling-from-sudden-bridge-closure)

Oklahoma cities reeling from sudden bridge closure | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-cities-reeling-from-sudden-bridge-closure/article/3945555)

Businesses affected by Lexington-Purcell bridge closure denied loans | News OK (http://newsok.com/businesses-affected-by-lexington-purcell-bridge-closure-denied-loans/article/4022479)

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/18/hyzebuhe.jpg
Looks like they are making good progress. ..cannot come soon enough for these communities.

Sent from my Samsung GALAXY S4 using Tapatalk

More Cracks Found In Closed Purcell-Lexington Bridge - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/25314407/more-cracks-found-in-closed-bridge)

I fear this state will never get serious about replacing these old, worthless bridges until one finally gives out and collapses.

I fear this state will never get serious about replacing these old, worthless bridges until one finally gives out and collapses.

While still not great Oklahoma has made a serious effort to reduce its bad bridge problems.
*
Bad bridges in Oklahoma now rank better than national average | www.krmg.com (http://www.krmg.com/news/news/local/bad-bridges-oklahoma-now-rank-better-national-aver/nYbLy/)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A new study shows Oklahoma has cut its number of
structurally deficient bridges in half in less than a decade.
*
*Department of Transportation Director Mike Patterson presented the figures
Monday to the agency's governing commission.

Patterson says Federal Highway Commission data shows the number of structurally deficient bridges dropped from
1,168 in 2005 to 556 currently. *

*The state has gone from having 17 percent of its bridges structurally deficient
to about 8 percent in that same time period.

Patterson says the national average is about 11 percent.