Oklahoma Transportation Commission approves two major OKC interstate projects

Drivers in the Oklahoma City metro area might want to brace themselves for more traffic delays.

The Oklahoma Transportation Commission awarded contracts for two major interstate projects Monday.

The first project will involve the replacement of six bridges on Interstate 40 in Del City.

The second will involve rehabilitating pavement on nine bridges and the roadway on Interstate 44 between I-40 and SW 74th Street, just south of I-240 in southwest Oklahoma City.

Construction on both projects is expected to begin later this summer or in early fall. The I-40 project in Del City is expected to take about 2 1/2 years to complete, while the I-44 project is expected to take a little over a year.

"Either one of these projects, being on the urban interstate — I-40 and I-44 — we will experience some major traffic disruptions," said Tim Gatz, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

Commuters headed for Will Rogers World Airport could find the I-44 project particularly troublesome, since it is expected to cause significant delays and congestion, officials said. Drivers should plan for extra travel time or use an alternate route, they said.

Although the construction is likely to be inconvenient, Gatz said the projects are sorely needed.

The I-40 bridges in Del City targeted for replacement are "some of the worst that we have anywhere on the interstate," Gatz said.

Some of them have been patched so many times they look like a patchwork quilt, said Terri Angier, a department spokeswoman, who noted five of the bridges have been deemed to be structurally deficient and three of the bridge decks are in very poor condition.

Manhattan Road and Bridge Co. of Tulsa was awarded the nearly $80 million contract to replace the I-40 bridges at Crutcho Creek, SE 15 Street and Sooner Road in Del City.

Nearly $2 million in incentives are offered for early completion, officials said.

Traffic on I-40 will be narrowed to two lanes in each direction between Sunnylane Road and Air Depot Boulevard for the duration of the project. There may be some additional lane closures on nights and weekends, and motorists can expect periodic ramp closures and lane shifts throughout the project.

The new bridges will be wider to accommodate a fourth lane in each direction at some time in the future.

The other interstate project will involve rehabilitating I-44 pavement and bridges from I-40 to SW 74 Street.Sherwood Construction was awarded the $27.5 million contract for that work.

I-44 will be narrowed to two lanes in each direction at various locations during the project. Drivers should expect additional nighttime and weekend lane and ramp closures.

The project is expected to provide a smoother driving surface once construction is completed, but the surface actually will be rougher while work is underway, officials said.