The Wanette–Byars Bridge is a long bridge in central Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...

. It crosses the Canadian River

Canadian River

The Canadian River is the longest tributary of the Arkansas River. It is about long, starting in Colorado and traveling through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and most of Oklahoma....

 between Byars

Byars, Oklahoma

Byars is a town in McClain County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 255 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Byars has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....

 in McClain Co.

McClain County, Oklahoma

McClain County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 27,740 at the 2000 census. Its county seat is Purcell. McClain County is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is in the top 3 fastest growing counties in Oklahoma with a growth rate of...

 and Wanette

Wanette, Oklahoma

Wanette is a town in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 350 at the 2010 census. Wanette is part of the Purcell-Lexington retail trade area, and is within the Greater Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area-Wanette High School:...

 in Pottawatomie County

Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma

Pottawatomie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 65,521 as of the 2000 census. Its county seat is Shawnee...

. The bridge is on a county road, not a state-designated highway.

The bridge was built in 1902 by the American Bridge Company

American Bridge Company

The American Bridge Company is a privately held civil engineering firm specializing in the construction and renovation of bridges and other large civil engineering projects, founded in 1900, and headquartered in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.-Products and industry positioning:The...

 to serve as a rail bridge connecting Pauls Valley

Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

Pauls Valley is a city in Garvin County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,256 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Garvin County.-History:...

 with Shawnee

Shawnee, Oklahoma

Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical...

. It was later converted to a one-lane bridge for auto traffic. The bridge is of the camelback truss design and is composed of three spans, each 265 feet (81 m). Each of these spans are the longest in Oklahoma.

Until 1992, the bridge had a wooden deck. In 1992, the bridge's deck was destroyed by arson

Arson

Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...

, closing it for two years. When the bridge reopened, it had a concrete and asphalt driving surface.

The bridge is an oft-utilized link between Byars and Wanette. The two nearest bridges are between fifteen and twenty-five miles (24-40 km) away.