February Commission Wrap-Up: First phase of I-35/I-240 interchange in OKC gets green light
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 2016
PR# 16-006
First phase of I-35/I-240 interchange reconstruction in Oklahoma City gets green light; $107 million in contracts awarded
Highlights of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission’s Monday, Feb. 8 meeting include a report on the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s budget in light of ongoing state funding challenges and approval contracts for the first phase of major interchange reconstruction in Oklahoma City, bridge rehabilitation in Tulsa and replacement of a county bridge over the Red River in Bryan County.
Executive Director Mike Patterson told commissioners that ongoing budgetary challenges facing the state will continue to impact future highway and bridge projects in ODOT’s Eight-year Construction Work Plan. While the agency is still committed to delivering projects in the plan, schedules may have to change depending on funding cuts.
“Since the Eight-year Plan is based on anticipated funding authorized by statute, any revenue shortfall will affect projects currently in the plan,” he said. “Some projects will have to be moved back to a later fiscal year and adding any new projects to 2024 will certainly be a challenge.”
A major ODOT undertaking to reconstruct the I-35/I-240 interchange in south Oklahoma City will soon be underway thanks to commission approval of a contract for an approximately $14 million project for the first construction phase of the project. This first phase will reconstruct I-240 from Santa Fe Ave. east past Shields Blvd. and convert Santa Fe Ave. to a full interchange to accommodate the I-240 traffic that currently uses the existing interchange at Shields Blvd. The reconstruction effort will replace the outdated and inefficient interchange with a modern three-level interchange with dedicated ramps for I-35 and I-240 traffic. This will address congestion and safety issues by providing longer ramps for more merging distance to accommodate current and future traffic.
Construction of the first phase is expected to begin in early summer 2016 and take a little more than one year to complete. The contractor can earn incentives for completing the work early. Subsequent construction phases are scheduled to go to bid in Federal Fiscal Years 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021 and construction is expected to continue nonstop until the interchange is complete, unless there is an interruption in funding.
Commissioners awarded a $3 million contract for rehabilitation of the Sheridan Ave. and North 69th East Ave. bridges over SH-11 near the Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa. They also approved a $7 million contract for a county project to replace the Carpenters Bluff bridge over the Red River in Bryan County. This project will combine funds from the County Improvements for Roads and Bridges program and matching funds from the Texas Department of Transportation.
In all, commissioners awarded 56 contracts totaling more than $107 million to improve bridges, highways, interstates and roads in 37 counties. Contracts were awarded for projects in Adair, Alfalfa, Atoka, Beaver, Beckham, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Choctaw, Cleveland, Coal, Cotton, Comanche, Craig, Ellis, Garvin, Grady, Hughes, Jefferson, Kiowa, LeFlore, Logan, McCurtain, McIntosh, Mayes, Murray, Muskogee, Noble, Oklahoma, Pittsburg, Stephens, Texas, Tulsa, Washita, Wagoner and Woodward counties.
The eight-member panel, appointed by the governor to oversee the state’s transportation development, awards project contracts for road and bridge construction every month. The next meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. March 7.
Contracts, bid information, the commission’s monthly agenda and project details can be viewed at www.odot.org.
At their Monday, Feb. 8 meeting, members of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission awarded a contract with financial incentives worth up to $14 million for the first phase of the I-35/I-240 interchange reconstruction project in Oklahoma City. This first phase will reconstruct I-240 from Santa Fe Ave. east past Shields Blvd. and convert Santa Fe Ave. to a full interchange. This computer-generated image shows the fully reconstructed I-35/I-240 interchange.
At thei
The Oklahoma Transportation Commission awarded a $7 million contract for a county project to construct a new bridge to replace the single-lane Carpenters Bluff bridge over the Red River in Bryan County, pictured here. This project will combine funds from the County Improvements for Roads and Bridges program and matching funds from the Texas Department of Transportation.
—www.odot.org—
(Editors and News Directors:For more information, call the ODOT Media and Public Relations Division at 405-521-6000.)
