Okla. Bridge Hit By Barge Reopens

An Oklahoma river bridge that was hit by a towboat barge and collapsed, plunging 14 people to their deaths, reopened Monday ahead of schedule as the victims were remembered with a moment of silence.

A color guard lowered the U.S. and Oklahoma flags to half-staff during the moment of silence, then raised them to full-staff as state officials and others looked on during a ceremony.

"We still think of them," said Gary Ridley, director of the state Department of Transportation. "We think of them every day."

The opening of eastbound lanes, followed later Monday by the westbound lanes, restores some normalcy to the lives of residents in the small town that suffered through the tragedy.

Ten cars and trucks plunged into the muddy Arkansas River the morning of May 26 after a towboat pushing two barges slammed into the bridge along Interstate 40, collapsing a 500-foot section.

Since then, as many as 17,000 cars and trucks have been rerouted each day through Webbers Falls and other nearby towns as construction crews worked around the clock to repair the collapsed span.

The roadway is reopening 10 days ahead of the Aug. 8 deadline set by the project's contractor, Fort Worth, Texas-based Gilbert Central Corp. Gilbert will earn $1.5 million in bonuses for completing the project early.

The cost of the project is estimated at $30 million, twice the original estimate.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation said the price rose because of the cost of shoring up the damaged structure and maintaining detour routes. The agency said it has spent almost $10 million on repairs to alternate routes.

But the increased traffic did not mean more customers for businesses in Webbers Falls, Mayor Jewell Horne said.

She said most motorists were afraid to lose more time and were in a hurry to get off two-lane detour routes.

"I know for June we lost several thousand dollars and it looks like July's going to be off some," said Butch Cox, owner of Charlie's Fried Chicken, one of Webbers Falls' three restaurants.

"I used to see all that traffic and wonder, 'Wouldn't it be great to have all that stop here?"' Cox said. "Well, I found out, and I don't want to know any more."

A park in Webbers Falls to commemorate a Civil War battle now holds a memorial to the 14 victims of the bridge collapse.

Attorney General Drew Edmondson and families of the victims have sued the towboat's owner and pilot, Joe Dedmon, for negligence.

Investigators have said Dedmon, 61, lost consciousness as he steered the tow toward the bridge. Authorities said Dedmon suffers from a heart condition that could have caused him to black out.

By Graham Underwood