Orange Barrel Update: I-244 eastbound in Tulsa to shut down Monday

TULSA - A stretch of eastbound I-244 will be shut down in east Tulsa for three months beginning Monday.

The lane closures between 129th East Avenue and the I-44 junction will start at 7 a.m.

Eastbound I-244 traffic is being routed onto southbound Highway 169 and then onto eastbound I-44 as a detour.

It will likely not only cause big traffic back ups in the eastbound lanes of I-244, it will likely also cause back-ups on the detour route, southbound 169 and I-44 eastbound.

"Drivers need to make sure they're planning that extra time to get through the corridor," said ODOT spokeswoman Kenna Mitchell.

Here's the really bad news, it's going to stay this way until late January.

"We're removing everything from the ground up and putting down a new layer of roadway and we expect that, that will last and certainly give drivers a better drive through this section of Tulsa," said Mitchell.

Westbound I-244 will be staying open but it's no picnic for drivers either.

The right lane of westbound I-244 is closed from near Garnett to near Sheridan.

All of this I-244 work is part of a massive project to replace the pavement on the highway.