In late spring 1976, the old Third Street bridge over the then Frisco Railroad (now Burlington Northern) was in such bad condition that it was closed by the city of Tulsa. This resulted in a detour north to Archer Street to return to Third Street at the east end or Charles Page Boulevard to the west. The bridge sat dormant for only a few months, as crews began demolishing the old bridge in November 1976. The demolition was completed in early 1977. Work then began on the new bridge, and it opened in the spring of 1978. The new bridge is four lanes with sidewalks on either side. The project included repaving Third Street between the bridge and Houston Avenue, including the Third Street and Houston Avenue intersection, which received a new traffic signal as part of the project. The new bridge, which was the first of several Depression-era bridges to be replaced or renovated, is shown looking west from Houston Avenue. In the distance is the west leg of the Inner Dispersal Loop, which carries Interstate 244, U.S. 64 and S.H. 51. Photograph taken May 8, 1984.
