By KWGS News
Tulsa, OK – Two highly-anticipated widening projects are set to get underway on Monday, March 1. While this does mean the addition of two more construction zones in Tulsa, both of these projects will be making major improvements to portions of US-169 and I-44. Details of the projects are as follows:
US-169 widening between I-244 junction and 56th St. North
This section of US-169 will be widened from four lanes to six, and will include the replacement of the bridge over Pine Street. The $16 million contract was awarded to Becco, Inc., and is expected to take just over a year to complete.
To help traffic flow in this area, the contractor is required to have two lanes open in each direction of US-169 between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays. While much of the work is anticipated to take place on nights and weekends, drivers should still be alert for crews in this area during daylight hours.
Additionally, a smart workzone system will be in place for this project, which will provide real-time information for drivers entering this corridor about any delays or stops in the workzone.
I-44 widening at Harvard Ave.
This is the second construction phase to start in the $360 million widening project on I-44 between Riverside Dr. and Yale Avenue. The $48 million project in the Harvard Ave. corridor will widen I-44 from four lanes to six, will replace the bridge at Harvard Ave., and greatly improve the entrances/exits to the highway. It is anticipated to take about two years to complete.
Drivers should expect delays throughout this project on I-44, Harvard Ave. and the access roads. A smart workzone system is in place for the Riverside-Yale corridor, which will give real-time information about delays in the workzone. This system also has four large signs in place leading into the corridor, to inform drivers of the time to travel through this workzone, versus the time to travel an alternate route around the workzone.
This overall I-44 widening project from Riverside to Yale includes expanding traffic lanes from four to six and improving on and off ramps at the Harvard Ave., Lewis Ave., Peoria Ave. and Riverside Dr. intersections. Overall work from Riverside to Yale is expected to be complete by early 2013.