A section of a bridge collapsed onto Northwest Expressway near May Avenue Thursday after being struck by a loaded flatbed truck. Oklahoma City Public Works Director Eric Wenger discussed the damage and history of the bridge at a news conference on Friday.
Since the incident, people have been questioning the structural integrity of the bridge. Wenger said on Friday that no structural issues were identified when the bridge was last inspected in August 2014.
Here's what else we learned from Friday's presser.
A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
Northwest Expressway will remain closed at least until sometime next week, and it's too early to say when May Avenue could reopen to traffic, Wenger said.
A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
The city's on-call contractor, Cimarron Construction Co., could begin removing debris as soon as Friday night.
A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
It's estimated that 37,000 vehicles per day on averagepass beneath the bridge on Northwest Expressway. Wenger said about 22,000 cross the bridge daily on May Avenue.That comparesto 123,000 vehicles per day traversing the Interstate 40-35 interchange.
Left Photo via Brett Selby of Thursday's bridge collapse onto Northwest Expressway. Right Photo via The Oklahoman Archives
A different section of the bridge collapsed in 1993 when it was hit by a truck hauling a backhoe. The truck that hit the bridge Thursday was hauling heavy construction equipment.
A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
<figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-1f0ebccca6f977291b8dfb67a4e7f5b1.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman" title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman"><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-3dcaecc8fba2bd63e0190474dde0ff18.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman" title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman"><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-579ca9f551cd761882bc8148997d6ac2.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman" title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman"><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-7ecce54e020e426148d97e30df7a34b2.jpg" alt="Photo - Left Photo via Brett Selby of Thursday's bridge collapse onto Northwest Expressway. Right Photo via The Oklahoman Archives" title="Left Photo via Brett Selby of Thursday's bridge collapse onto Northwest Expressway. Right Photo via The Oklahoman Archives"><figcaption>Left Photo via Brett Selby of Thursday's bridge collapse onto Northwest Expressway. Right Photo via The Oklahoman Archives</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-00f74d0f4cd9e8ef48ba580a23e87386.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman" title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman"><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-d142498fe2336c68691291bf0e5b17ad.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. This view is looking west. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. This view is looking west. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. This view is looking west. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-e106b86919710c38c3ff2f882ab2e619.jpg" alt="Photo - A truck carrying unknown cargo is parked on the west edge of the bridge after the bridge collapsed. The trailer's payload was damaged after it toppled from the truck bed onto the street. A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A truck carrying unknown cargo is parked on the west edge of the bridge after the bridge collapsed. The trailer's payload was damaged after it toppled from the truck bed onto the street. A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A truck carrying unknown cargo is parked on the west edge of the bridge after the bridge collapsed. The trailer's payload was damaged after it toppled from the truck bed onto the street. A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-579ca9f551cd761882bc8148997d6ac2.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-5d0127c00670727d192054b5e0067478.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-fc7458cdf9d957a35ba9e0940270c676.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. This view is looking west. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. This view is looking west. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. This view is looking west. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-8b07c682da4cb24c0e89e74fd1490136.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-3a325cf5017df647b69479cff2cc2efa.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-1f0ebccca6f977291b8dfb67a4e7f5b1.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-3dcaecc8fba2bd63e0190474dde0ff18.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-122a9cc0cf276c116e0826e194c2148c.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-00f74d0f4cd9e8ef48ba580a23e87386.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. This view shows the east side of the bridge. View is looking west. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. This view shows the east side of the bridge. View is looking west. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. This view shows the east side of the bridge. View is looking west. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-af6cd56a59b8521d2bd073bcdd67abad.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. An Oklahoma City firefighter instructs bystanders to move farther back from the scene of the collapse. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. An Oklahoma City firefighter instructs bystanders to move farther back from the scene of the collapse. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. An Oklahoma City firefighter instructs bystanders to move farther back from the scene of the collapse. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-0a1ebe43babc87a20ffac9f6c5df342b.jpg" alt="Photo - A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. " title="A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. "><figcaption>A section of the May Ave. bridge above the Northwest Expressway collapsed when it was hit by a truck Thursday afternoon, in Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman. </figcaption></figure>
William Crum
OU and Norman High School graduate, formerly worked as a reporter and editor for the Associated Press, the Star Tribune in Minneapolis, and the Norman Transcript. Married, two children, lives in Norman.
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