By Randy Ellis, Staff WriterThe discovery of unanticipated damage during a routine rehabilitation project on Interstate 44’s Belle Isle bridge in Oklahoma City has forced the state Transportation Department to resort to unexpected lane and ramp closures. Discovery of extensive damage to two piers prompted transportation officials to close lanes and ramps on the Belle Isle bridge between Pennsylvania and Western avenues April 16, transportation officials said. Engineers decided to narrow I-44 to two lanes in both directions between Penn and Western and close the eastbound I-44 on-ramp from eastbound Northwest Expressway and the westbound I-44 off-ramp to Northwest Expressway and begin extensive repairs to the two piers. “As part of the rehabilitation process, the first step is for crews to aggressively chip away at the concrete to better prepare the bridge for improvements,” the Transportation Department stated in a news release.Read more on NewsOK.com