Willis Bridge Update




PSA: Willis Bridge Update

Feb. 9, 2023

The new Willis Bridge opened up with one lane northbound, and southbound traffic was routed onto the old bridge. Soon after, both lanes opened up on the new bridge.

Feb. 16, 2023

From the Tulsa, Oklahoma, office of Jensen Construction Company:

The contract to build the new bridge was awarded to Jensen in 2018. Initial work began in 2018, but it was quite some time before Texomans saw the construction crews arrive. The supervisor at Jensen and I could not remember what year their field office was installed. He thought it was 2019, and I thought it was 2020. 

We are approximately six months away from the end of construction. Jensen will dismantle the old bridge with hard labor, cranes, and pneumatic breakers, not with explosives to implode the bridge. Parts, not all, of the old bridge will be left to settle on the lake bed for fish cover and habitat. 

There are no guard rails on the east side of the northbound entrance and exit for a couple of hundred yards each. The drop-offs are steep in those sections and invisible at night. Those sections are up to ODOT code standards. 

Please Adhere to the 45 MPH Speed Limit Through the Willis Bridge Construction Zone




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Lake Texoma Current Weather Alerts

There are no active watches, warnings or advisories.

 

Lake Texoma Weather Forecast

Tuesday

Rain Likely

Hi: 41

Tuesday Night

Slight Chance Freezing Rain

Lo: 14

Wednesday

Mostly Cloudy

Hi: 24

Wednesday Night

Partly Cloudy

Lo: 12

Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Hi: 30

Thursday Night

Mostly Cloudy

Lo: 21

Friday

Mostly Cloudy

Hi: 35

Friday Night

Mostly Cloudy

Lo: 28


Lake Texoma Water Level (last 30 days)


Water Level on 2/18: 614.17 (-2.83)



Lake Texoma

Fishing Report from TPWD (Feb. 12)

FAIR. Water stained; 48 degrees; 2.46 feet below pool. Striper fishing is good with the best bite on overcast days with north winds. Look for gulls feeding over loons and active fish in river channels and on ledges. Structure fish are holding to humps and ledges in 15-35 feet of water using soft plastics. As water temperatures start to fall, look for crappie in deeper water on brush and structure in 18-25 feet of water. Use jigs or a spinner near the bottom of the piles for bigger fish. Bass are hitting soft plastics and slow moving baits off the banks in 8-12 feet of water as fish are pulled to deeper water due to falling water temperature and lake levels. Bait fish are plentiful in deeper water along the bluffs and near rocks off the river channels. This is a great time of year to mark spots on the banks that may be underwater come spring and summer. Target catfish on shallow flats near the river and creek inlets. Trophy blue catfish will be roaming shallow water looking for big gizzard shad. Anchor up or drift whole shad in 10-30 feet of water off ledges and in ditches. Report by Jacob Orr, Lake Guaranteed Guide Service. Striped bass are excellent on structure in 15-25 feet of water with Alabama rigs and swimbaits. Some fish can be caught deadsticking under the bird activity. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors.

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