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Work Underway to Replace Two I-44 Bridges at 33rd West Avenue

KWGS News

The orange barrels are out on I-44 in west Tulsa.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation started an $11 million project Monday to replace two bridges at 33rd West Avenue.

"Both were built in 1952, and we’re going to be going in and replacing the bridges with more modern structures that meet today’s highway standards," said Kenna Mitchell with ODOT.

There will be some pain for drivers until the project wraps up in spring 2021.

"Throughout the project, which takes just over a year to complete, we are going to have different lane closures, both on I-44 and on 33rd West Avenue below, as well as some ramp closures," Mitchell said.

For now, eastbound I-44 is down to one lane and the 33rd West Avenue offramp is closed until mid-February.

The new bridges will have a six-lane configuration, laying the groundwork for a big future project.

"We do have an overall goal of widening I-44 between the Arkansas River and the western 244 split. Not all of that’s funded at this time, but we are trying to make some key improvements over the next several years," Mitchell said.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.