Illinois River Bridge on State Highway 59

Illinois River Bridge

Adair County, Oklahoma

The Illinois River Bridge on State Highway 59 project included north bound and the south bound U.S. 59 bridges over the Illinois River replacements for one narrow and old steel structure bridge built in the early twentieth century. The traffic had reached a point that was above the design capacity of the old bridge in both weight and volume. Traffic back-ups were common place. Design and construction methods of the new bridges ensured the river would receive no additional pollution and facilitated boater access. The new bridges are 554 feet long with four spans each. The span length gives unobstructed flow to the river during flooding periods. The road way width allows even wide traffic to flow easily and smoothly preventing bottle necks.