Jenks Council approves design contract for Arkansas River pedestrian bridge repairs as engineers warn of critical deterioration

Garver Engineers presented the results of an in-depth inspection of the Arkansas River Pedestrian Bridge and the Jenks City Council voted to hire the firm to prepare full construction plans and bid documents for rehabilitation work.

In a presentation to council, Garver engineer Bradley Thompson said the April 2023 inspection found widespread deterioration in the bridge deck, floor beams and stringer ends and identified two stringer ends with “90 to 100% section loss” that are not fully connected to their floor beams. "Due to this critical section loss and loss of connection, they cannot transfer the loadings as originally designed," Thompson said, adding that if those conditions are not repaired the bridge “may have to be closed.”

The council approved an engineering design contract with Garver for $732,600 and a supplemental appropriation of the same amount from JPWA/OWRB funds to begin design and phasing of repairs. The vote on the design contract and the appropriation was unanimous.

Why it matters: Garver’s load-rating analysis found the bridge can currently carry up to 28,500 pounds for specific vehicular uses and about 90 pounds per square foot for pedestrian loads in most spans, but the two disconnected stringers…