I-40 Douglas Blvd. interchange construction begins Monday

This project is weather permitting:

A two-year highway interchange reconstruction and 6-mile interstate widening project will start at 7 a.m. Monday at I-40 and Douglas Blvd. in Midwest City and Oklahoma City. Motorists will see crews in the area for initial work zone set up during the day and eastbound and westbound I-40 will be narrowed to one lane at Douglas Blvd. from 7 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday to install barrier wall.

The more than $170 million project will reconstruct I-40 at Douglas Blvd. (mm 159B) into a Single-Point Urban Interchange, which will allow traffic to move through the interchange safely and more efficiently with only one set of traffic signals allowing for longer signal cycles. This interchange style is similar to ones at I-40 and Morgan Rd. and at I-35 and Lindsey St. in Norman.

Additionally, I-40 will be widened to six lanes between Town Center Dr. (mm 157C) in Midwest City and the I-240 interchange. This will connect to a previous widening project at Choctaw Rd. in Oklahoma City. Work also will address nine bridges at Douglas Blvd., Westminster Rd., Anderson Rd., Post Rd., the I-240 ramps at the I-40 interchange and the removal of the Engle Rd. bridge over I-40.

This project is partially funded by a $51 million federal INFRA grant, which was awarded in June 2021, and work will be done in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and in coordination with the City of Oklahoma City, the City of Midwest City and Tinker Air Force Base.

Motorists can expect eastbound and westbound I-40 to remain open to two lanes in each direction, particularly during peak commute times. However, I-40 may narrow to one lane in each direction during nights and some weekends as needed and drivers should expect significant lane shifts, median crossovers and ramp closures throughout the project. Motorists should plan additional travel time through the work zone and use caution as the work zone will change often.

Other work zone impacts to plan ahead for include:

• A two-night, full closure of I-40 in early May to allow for the safe removal of the Engle Rd. bridge. This will occur on a weekend and only in the overnight hours and is tentatively scheduled to start May 10, weather permitting. Traffic will be shifted when the lanes reopen to make room for ongoing bridge work. Detour during the closure will be I-240, however, motorists also may consider US-62/N. 23rd St. and the tolled option of the Kickapoo Turnpike.
• The eastbound I-40 on-ramp from Hruskocy Gate/Industrial Blvd. (mm 159A) and the westbound I-40 off-ramp to Hruskocy Gate/Industrial Blvd. will be closed early in the project while work occurs on the outside lanes. Motorists may exit at Douglas Blvd. or at Town Center Dr. (mm 157C). These ramps will be permanently closed later in the project.
• I-40 on- and off-ramps to Douglas Blvd. will remain open with intermittent closures expected, however, motorists can expect these ramps to be reconfigured later in the project. The ramps will serve as a traffic detour during bridge beam hanging for the new Douglas Blvd. bridge.
• Douglas Blvd. will be narrowed to one lane in each direction over I-40, but closures will occur during bridge reconstruction.

Motorists can expect delays and congestion in the area throughout the two-year project and should consider alternate routes such as I-240 and US-62/N. 23rd St.

Stay connected for updates to this project online at www.odot.org or signup there for updates via email for the daily Oklahoma City traffic advisory. Other ways to find updates are to follow @OKDOT on Facebook and Twitter and download the Drive Oklahoma mobile app for real-time traffic information or check https://www.oktraffic.org.

The Oklahoma Transportation Commission awarded the project in November 2022 to Allen Contracting Inc. and Shell Construction Co. Inc. Work is expected to complete in 2025, weather permitting.