An emergency bridge repair on the Turner Turnpike occasionally shuts the turnpike down during evening rush hour diverting traffic thru Sapulpa.

Jack Damrill with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority tells KRMG that a truck hit a bridge between the western Turner Turnpike gate and Highway 97.

Those repairs narrow traffic and sometimes cause massive delays.

Lt. George Brown with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol says troopers are forced to temporarily close the Turner Turnpike and divert traffic to help relieve congestion.

That extra traffic driving thru town is just fine with many business owners in Sapulpa. A manager at The Hanging Table restaurant on Main Street says, "There's shopping and eating here on Main Street. You can take in thrift stores and there's a couple of little boutiques and clothing stores. Then stop in and eat!"

Suzanne Shirey with the Sapulpa Chamber thinks detoured drivers will be making a return trip to her city. Shirey says, "People that come for the first time through our downtown are amazed at the quality of our historic buildings and that there is really good shopping and eating establishments."

Construction and the occasional closures aren't expected to wrap up until late February.