Rock Creek Bridge - Sapulpa, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 35° 59.620 W 096° 08.170
14S E 758164 N 3987039
Rock Creek Bridge is one of only a few extant steel truss bridges along Route 66.
Waymark Code: WMHDBC
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 06/26/2013
Views: 11
The Rock Creek Bridge No. 18 was constructed in 1924, originally for the Ozark Trail. It was recommissioned in 1926 as part of U.S. Route 66. It is located on the southwest side of Sapulpa, in a rural area with heavy foliage nearby. It runs parallel of the St. Louis San Francisco railroad tracks.
The National Register nomination describes the bridge as a "...steel truss bridge with a compound truss to achieve the long span; members of the truss are built-up in lattice section. Each of the connections are pinned." It was constructed with an unusual brick decking, which can be seen today under the worn paving.
The bridge is 120 feet long and 18 feet wide. It was constructed by Concrete and Steel Construction Company, a New York company with an office in Joplin, Missouri. The bridge was decommissioned in 1952 when a separate bridge crossing nearby was constructed. The bridge, however, is still open to local traffic.
A bronze plaque affixed to the bridge reads:
ROUTE 66 BRIDGE / This bridge was built in 1924 to serve the Ozark Trail. It became part of US Highway 66 in 1926 when the Chicago to Los Angeles route was initiated. The bridge served motorists traveling on US 66 until a new highway was built to the south in 1952