TULSA, Okla. — The start of a multi-year investment to revamp the I-44 and US 75 interchange shifted to the next phase, Wednesday. Commuters will not enjoy it for the time being.
"There is a lot of different moving components going on out there, right now," Kenna Mitchell, spokesperson for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said. "You're going to start seeing traffic back up in that corridor."
Traffic in eastbound and westbound lanes on I-44 trickled along slowly during the evening rush hour commute. Mitchell said travelers can expect it to stay that way for at least a week.
"Just expect that there's going to be some long delays there, so you might try to find an alternate route," she said.
The lane closures come courtesy of more progress made on the $90 million projects. Mitchell said construction crews are removing the old highway bridge on US 75 southbound.
"There's going to be a complete transformation of this interchange by the time it's all said and done," she said.
That completion date is still a couple of years away.
ODOT plans to revamp the oldest segment of the interstate with new pavement, two additional lanes, bridge replacements, and reconfigured ramp. The expected completion is early 2023.
"(We're) making it a modern interchange that can really function for us," Mitchell said.
Drivers can sign up for next-day traffic closure updates on ODOT's website.
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