KEY POINTS
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The Oklahoma Department of Transportation started construction on a more than $408 million replacement for the aging US-70 Roosevelt Bridge over Lake Texoma, with completion expected in fall 2029.
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The new bridge will have four lanes, shoulders, lighting and a pedestrian path, while the existing bridge remains open during construction.
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The 1942 bridge is 4,943 feet long, has two lanes and no shoulders, and traffic is projected to exceed 27,000 vehicles per day by 2050.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and its design-build team have started work on a more than $408 million project to replace the Roosevelt Memorial Bridge over Lake Texoma.
ODOT marked the start of construction Thursday, Sept. 10, at Lake Texoma State Park, according to a Sept. 11, 2026, agency release.
The bridge connects Bryan and Marshall counties and carries US-70 between southern Oklahoma, northern Texas and southern Arkansas. The broader US-70 corridor carries more than 11,000 vehicles each day.
The truss span on approach of the existing Roosevelt Memorial Bridge. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and its design-build team have started work on a more than $408 million project to replace the structure over Lake Texoma. Image: ODOT, Roosevelt Memorial Bridge Investment Project
Modernizing an 80-Year-Old Span
The Roosevelt Memorial Bridge has carried traffic over Lake Texoma for more than 80 years.
According to ODOT’s Bridge Investment Program (BIP) grant application, the bridge is 4,943 feet long and has only two lanes, one in each direction, on a 24-foot-wide deck with no shoulders.
Built in 1942, the bridge consists of 87 spans, including a 250-foot steel truss, and is eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. ODOT describes the structure as functionally obsolete and at risk of becoming structurally deficient.
The bridge currently carries about 8,500 vehicles per day, while traffic is expected to exceed 27,000 vehicles per day by 2050 as development continues in the area.
The replacement project will provide a new four-lane crossing with full shoulders, lighting and a pedestrian path.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and its design-build team have started work on a more than $408 million project to replace the Roosevelt Memorial Bridge over Lake Texoma. Shown in a rendering above. Image: Oklahoma Department of Transportation
It also includes improvements to the roadway approaches along US-70. The existing bridge will remain open during construction, with the new structure anticipated to be completed in fall 2029.
Project at a Glance
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Location: US-70 over Lake Texoma, connecting Bryan and Marshall counties, Oklahoma
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Contract value: More than $408 million
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Scope: New four-lane bridge, roadway approach improvements, full shoulders, lighting and pedestrian path
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Delivery method: Modified progressive design-build
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Construction status: Site preparation and lake-bottom drilling underway; existing bridge remains open
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Anticipated completion: Fall 2029
Design-Build Team Starts Early Work
Zachry Construction and Traylor Bros. are leading the design-build team. ODOT selected the firms through a modified progressive design-build process, bringing the contractor and agency together during design and construction planning to refine the project’s approach, budget and schedule.
Early work on the civil construction project is already underway. Crews are clearing trees near the bridge and along US-70 to prepare the site and improve driver visibility. Barges are drilling into the lake bottom to learn more about the ground conditions where the new bridge piers will be anchored.
That work will help the project team plan the bridge foundations. Lake Texoma reaches depths of about 65 feet near the crossing, making construction in and around the lake one of the project’s biggest challenges. ODOT is also coordinating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on environmental considerations.
The project is supported by federal and state funding, including a $124 million Large Bridge Project award through the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Investment Program. The investment is intended to improve safety and reliability while maintaining an important route for residents, freight, tourism and regional travel.
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