Historic 11th Street Arkansas River Bridge

The historic 11th Street Bridge across the Arkansas River in Tulsa is one of the city's most important transportation landmarks and a major piece of Route 66 history. Completed in the early 1920s, the concrete bridge carried traffic across the river before Route 66 was officially designated in 1926 and later became part of the Mother Road through Tulsa. Its location is especially significant because Tulsa oilman and road advocate Cyrus Avery helped shape the routing and promotion of Route 66. The bridge linked downtown with west Tulsa and became part of the corridor that carried generations of motorists through the city. Its long series of concrete arches also gives it a distinctive visual profile. The structure has been closed to normal automobile traffic for many years, but it remains an important historic feature of the riverfront. Nearby Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza interprets the Route 66 connection and provides a better place to view the bridge safely. Together, the bridge and plaza show how Tulsa's geography, the Arkansas River and early highway planning helped make the city one of the key Oklahoma stops on Route 66.