An estimated 85,000 cars travel I-44 through Tulsa each day. Built in the 50's, the State Department of Transportation said the roadway should have been redesigned about 30 years ago.
That's why $360,000,000 is budgeted for improvements.
ODOT Division Engineer, Randle White, said the project will improve the level of service and improve the safety of the interstate.
The projects will begin at I-44 and Riverside. From there crews will move to Harvard than back west to Peoria. The project will wrap up at Lewis.
Currently crews are constructing a concrete drainage system 30 feet underground at Riverside and I-44. The $42 million project will take 2 years to build.
In the meantime, at I-44 and Harvard crews are preparing the area for construction. In order to widen the interstate from 4 to 6 lanes 271 structures had to go.
In may 2007 the first homes were moved. Last October Moody's jewelry at 51st and Harvard came down.
In November, popular Tulsa restaurant Jamil's served it's last meal at 51st and Delaware. And most recently, several businesses at Harvard including Bodean's and Mario's Pizzeria were forced to find a new address.
Late this year crews will begin the Harvard Avenue project. The 1.5 mile, $48 million project will take 18 months to complete. The highway to the west of Harvard will move south and take some curve out of the roadway.
From Harvard crews will move to Peoria. The changes to the Peoria intersection will be very similar to the new Yale intersection completed in March 2007.
The Peoria project is a 1.2 miles long from Riverside to Wheeling. It's estimated at $45 million and construction should begin in the spring of 2010.
May's pharmacy at 51st and Peoria is one of many businesses forced to relocate. The company will rebuild in the same parking lot. Under the new name of Drug Warehouse, a spokesperson said the new pharmacy wil be bigger and better and should open late this summer.
Construction at Lewis should begin in 2011. The widened interstate will move south taking the curve out of the roadway making it safer for drivers.
The $35 million Lewis project is approximately 8-tenths of a mile and consists of a new overpass bridge at Lewis.
ODOT says during the construction progress all 4 lanes of traffic will remain open along I-44.
The entire project should be completed by 2012.
