Bartlesville bridge project moves forward after city safely moves mussels in Caney River

The long-awaited rehabilitation of the Tuxedo Bridge is set to begin this fall after an environmental study found no protected mussel species in the Caney River, clearing a major hurdle for the project.

City environmental consultant Stantec, in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, recently completed a $50,000 weeklong survey and relocation of native mussels inhabiting the river near the Tuxedo Bridge.

The study is a requirement for obtaining federal permits.

"The study found more than 200 mussels in the survey area," said Micah Siemers, Bartlesville's director of engineering. "While the researchers are still finalizing data, they estimate 13 different species of native mussels were identified; however, no protected species were found."

More: What's holding up repairs to Bartlesville's Tuxedo Bridge?

With no protected species detected, the mussels were safely relocated to an approved site approximately 260 meters upstream, ensuring their preservation without impeding the bridge project.

"All collected mussels were relocated to an approved site with similar water quality and substrate," Siemers said.

With each mussel carefully placed right-side up, some could say they are happy as clams in their new home.

Since January 2023, the Tuxedo Bridge has been limited to one lane for westbound traffic after a hole was discovered in the decking. City staff forewent patching the hole to save taxpayers money since voters had already approved $1.2 million to rehab the bridge during the 2020 General Obligation bond election.

In addition to the mussel survey, the project faced another potential delay due to federally protected bat species , including the Northern Long-Eared Bat and Tri-Color Bat, known to roost under the bridge. Construction on the bridge deck will be scheduled outside of the bats' active season, which runs from April 1 to November 15.

The bridge rehabilitation project is out for bid, and the City Council is expected to award it at its meeting on Sept. 3. If all goes as planned, construction could begin as early as this fall, finally providing relief to local commuters who have dealt with the lane closure for over a year, according to Siemers.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Bartlesville bridge project moves forward after city safely moves mussels in Caney River