TULSA, Okla. — The days of "Traffic Henge" at the I-44 and Highway 75 interchange are officially numbered, according to Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
The concrete columns aren't going anywhere, but crews will get some roadways built to connect them beginning April 7.
"So obviously, this is gonna be a pretty major project for us," ODOT spokesperson T.J. Gerlach told 2 News on March 10.
The untouched columns acquired folk legend status like that of Stonehenge itself, as previously covered by 2 News.
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Gerlach confirmed April 7 is the tentative date for construction to connect and widen what's known as one of the oldest remaining portions of the state's freight transportation network.
"A portion of this project does (also) include some widening on the Arkansas River bridge just to prepare for the ultimate interchange, as well as a widening work that would ultimately happen between U.S. 75 and the I-244 western split on I-44," the spokesperson said.
The $252 million contract from 2024 state and federal grants allows ODOT to complete all remaining construction phases at once.
Work will last about three years, Gerlach said, and will not feature long-term lane closures beyond what it is already.
"You're going to see the traffic cones. You're going to have reduced speed limits," Gerlach added. "But hopefully we'll be able to limit those single lanes to just short durations a couple of weeks at a time."
"The last years haven't been too bad (with traffic). But right now with the construction coming up, it's going to get bad again," Tulsa driver Jan Dollins told 2 News on April 6.
"(We're) used to construction everywhere we go in Tulsa," Trevor Owen said. "I mean, those pillars when they first put them up, I felt like we were becoming a mini Dallas or something. With the overpasses, you know? With the overs and unders and stuff like that."
Owen's wife, Alyssa, said the couple looks forward to the benefits of driving through the interchange when the work is complete.
"The (pillars) are not super cute," she said. "We should visually make that look better. So I'm happy it's gonna look better soon."
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