Bridge hit by towboat reopens

WEBBERS FALLS, Okla. -- A river bridge that was hit by a towboat and collapsed, plunging 14 people to their deaths, reopened Monday ahead of schedule as the victims were remembered with a moment of silence.

A color guard lowered the U.S. and Oklahoma flags to half-staff during the moment of silence, then raised them to full-staff as state officials and others looked on during a ceremony.

The opening of eastbound and westbound lanes restores some normalcy to the lives of residents in Webbers Falls, the small town that suffered through the tragedy.

Ten cars and trucks plunged into the muddy Arkansas River the morning of May 26 after a towboat pushing two barges slammed into the bridge along Interstate 40, collapsing a 500-foot section.

The roadway is reopening 10 days ahead of the Aug. 8 deadline set by the project's contractor, Fort Worth, Texas-based Gilbert Central Corp. Gilbert will earn $1.5 million in bonuses for completing the project early.