FT. GIBSON, Okla. — A Fort Gibson trading post is concerned about its business after learning the bridge over the nearby dam is closed indefinitely.
The Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it had no choice but to close the bridge. Officials said conditions on the bridge reached a critical level.
Blackwell’s Dam River Trading Post has been sitting near the Fort Gibson Dam since 2017.
WATCH: Fort Gibson dam closed indefinitely:
“We’ve got the bar,” said owner Charlie Blackwell. “We’ve got the bait store. We’ve got the kitchen, and we’ve got the cabins.”
Historic flooding in 2019 caused a setback for months, and now, Blackwell says the bridge closure is another big blow.
“I don’t think it’s going to kill us, but it’s going to hurt us,” said Blackwell.
Bartender Rebecca Willis is worried about the road closed signs leading up to the dam bridge and up to the shop.
“It looks like the road is all the way closed throughout here, and it’s not,” said Willis.
Some fishermen share their concern, like Steven Nunley from Okmulgee, who said it took extra time to get to his fishing hole, “The drive going 25 minutes, almost 30 minutes out of the way, it’ll turn a fisherman off real quick."
Over the past several years, the Army Corps has monitored the deteriorating conditions, making nearly yearly changes to the bridge.
“This last winter did a number on this floor beam, and it got to the point where we're starting to lose large amounts of concrete and exposing our main reinforcing steel,” said Patrick Shoopman, P.E., bridge safety program manager.
- In 2021, they stopped letting vehicles over 15 tons use the bridge.
- In 2023, the Army Corps recommended closing a portion of the downstream lane of one lane on the bridge.
- In 2024, they closed the full downstream bridge lane.
“Every six months we’ve been going out to this bridge, and it’s just slowly been getting worse and worse,” said Shoopman.
Nunley said he’s seen that firsthand.
"We're talking about every 5 feet. Clink clink. Clink clink. Clink clink,” said Nunley.
The plan is to replace the bridge entirely, and the Army Corps is exploring ways to fund the project. Once a contract is in place, it could take two and a half years to finish the work.
It makes Blackwell worry.
“Are you concerned about your business staying around that long,” 2 News asked. “Oh, I am,” he said. “We’re just going to have to do something different to make up for it. We’ll do it whatever it takes.”
The Army Corps said it is looking to see if it can repair the bridge and reopen it. They’re working with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to see if it’s possible.
They attribute the deteriorating conditions mainly to age, as the bridge is over 70 years old.
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