TULSA — For more than a decade, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation has worked to widen and modernize the main highway passing through Tulsa along the general path once taken by historic Route 66.
One major section of Interstate 44 has the distinction of being the oldest piece of original highway left on the ODOT system, according to spokeswoman Kenna Mitchell.
It’s the stretch that sits roughly between the Arkansas River and the Red Fork split, near Union Avenue.
ODOT will replace both overpasses where Highway 75 crosses over I-44, as well as the two bridges over Mooser Creek just to the south.
“It is the oldest remaining section of interstate that we have on the ODOT system,” Mitchell told KRMG Monday. “So it’s one that you definitely see the difference between where we have widened to the east, and then when you cross the river, you get to this segment, you get traffic backups. It’s narrow, it gets very, very congested during those rush hours.”
It will also replace a bridge further west, on I-44 near Union Avenue.
The I-44/Hwy 75 cloverleaf will be rebuilt, to accomodate the new, higher and wider bridges.
The interstate itself will be widened from four to six lanes.
Drivers will face lane closures, detours, and heavy traffic for at least the next couple of years.
That said, the completion of the project should make travel along the corridor much safer, and likely much quicker, for years to come.