Partners celebrate Stillwater project opening, start of phase 2 construction

The Payne County Commissioners, the City of Stillwater, the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation joined forces Tuesday morning to celebrate the completion of the first phase of a widening and reconstruction project along Country Club Rd. in Stillwater.

The $7.6 million reconstruction and widening project recently opened to traffic. The phase 1 project extends from SH-51 to W. McElroy Rd. and widens the county road to four lanes and adds a sidewalk for improved pedestrian access along the route.

The project was funded by the state through the County Improvements for Roads and Bridges Fund. Becco Contractors Inc. was the contractor for the first phase, which began construction in 2014.

Phase 2 construction began in November to reconstruct Country Club Rd. and widen it to four lanes from W. McElroy Rd. to W. Lakeview Rd. This phase is estimated to cost $4 million and will include the extension of the new sidewalk added in the first phase. Allen Contracting Inc. and Shell Construction Co. were awarded the contract in August.

Motorists should expect delays Monday through Saturday for the next six months during construction. Currently, the southbound lane is restricted to traffic from W. McElroy Rd. to W. Lakeview Rd. Flagmen are on site cautioning drivers to slow down or temporarily stop while a waterline is relocated.

During this second phase, motorists can visit www.odot.org for traffic advisories, sign up for traffic advisories direct to their email on ODOT's website or follow @OKDOT on Twitter.

Dignitaries from Payne County, the City of Stillwater, the Stillwater Chamber and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation gathered Tuesday morning to celebrate the completion of phase 1 construction of Country Club Rd. Pictured, from left, are Payne County Commissioner Chris Reding, Jeremy Bennett of U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas' office, ODOT Stillwater Resident Engineer Jessica Prince, ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson, Payne County Commissioner Kent Bradley, Stillwater City Councilman Miguel Najera, former Payne County Commissioner Jim Arthur, Dale Burke and Josh Wright, both of Mehlburger-Brawley Engineering, Dwayne Jantz of Becco Construction and Payne County Commissioner Zach Cavett.

The group also broke ground Tuesday morning for phase 2 of the Country Club Rd. widening project from W. McElroy Rd. to W. Lakeview Rd. Pictured, from left, are Payne County Commissioner Zach Cavett, Jeffrey Clyde Buckner of Allen Contracting, ODOT Stillwater Resident Engineer Jessica Prince, Jeremy Bennett of U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas' office, ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson, Payne County Commissioner Kent Bradley, Stillwater City Councilman Miguel Najera, Payne County Commissioner Chris Reding, Dale Burke and Josh Wright, both of Mehlburger-Brawley Engineering.