Turner Turnpike Construction Forces Detours Overnight Between Stroud, Chandler

The Turner Turnpike near Stroud will be closed Saturday night into Sunday as crews replace a bridge over the turnpike.

Crews on the turnpike are getting ready to remove the beams of the bridge on Old Stroud Road, which will close the turnpike in both directions starting at 9 p.m. Saturday night, reopening Sunday morning by 7 a.m.

The closure will cause everyone driving on the Turner Turnpike to detour on Route 66 between Chandler and Stroud. That means extra traffic coming right through town.

"We always get that shutdown traffic coming through," says Mandy Clark.

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Clark owns Ruby's bar and restaurant and she’s decided to look on the bright side of more congestion. It could mean more hungry travelers coming through around dinner time.

"Most of our business does come from people meeting in the middle from Tulsa and the city so them having to detour here hopefully that will make them think Oh let's just have dinner here in Stroud," says Clark.

City Manager Bob Pearman says they'll be ready with extra help from OHP and local police to get folks through town.

“Just be patient, we’re gonna move you through as fast as we can. We’re gonna have help on every corner, so. any problems we’ll be there to address them,” says Pearman.

These detours usually happen when a big wreck shuts down the turnpike, but Mandy Is glad for a little heads-up.

"Knowing is going to give us time to prepare. hopefully, we can be a little bit busier and be prepared for it whenever it happens," says Clark.

Clark likes welcoming customers traveling on the historic Route 66, and is eager to greet a few more, even if it is just for one night.

This bridge project is part of a larger $8.3 million project to add a frontage road between Old Stroud Road and Highway 99.