Bridge on Rock Creek Road offers Norman traffic relief

City officials say they are pleased with the new bridge at Rock Creek Road, which has increased traffic in the area by 200 percent since it opened in August 2011.

The ornate bridge, once jokingly referred to by some local residents as “the bridge to nowhere” because of how long it was under construction, is carrying roughly 3,200 vehicles each day.

In the future, as the University North Park shopping area continues to develop, it's projected the bridge could handle as many as 10,000 vehicles on a daily basis.

“Rock Creek Road west of I-35 carried less than 1,000 vehicles per day before the bridge was constructed,” said Angelo Lombardo, the city's traffic engineer. “The additional 2,000 vehicles per day using the bridge are coming from either Robinson Street or Tecumseh Road.”

How long it will be before the bridge is carrying 10,000 vehicles on a daily basis depends on the “development pace” in the shopping area, which has been under construction for the past several years.

“The fact is there is significant activity south of Rock Creek Road, including the construction of Legacy Park, a new grocery store and several new restaurants,” Lombardo said.

“Completion of this work could easily result in 2,000 to 3,000 more daily trips on the bridge.

“We anticipate a gradual increase until the area is fully developed.”

Shopping area grows