Rough Going For Tulsa Commuters Over The Next Year

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Look for a congested commute through Tulsa, almost no matter where you drive. In addition to all the city roadwork that's getting started, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation has eight major road projects underway -- touching every busy highway except the Broken Arrow Expressway.

The slowdown may not be just on the highway. 

All the projects depend on the flow of money from Washington, D.C. and that has been cut off by the U.S. Congress as they argue over the details.

The state gets federal money every Thursday and if the money isn't there this Thursday, the work will likely come to a stop within days.

It's going to be a year of construction catch-up with the biggest concentration of work on I-44 through Tulsa. 

It's a drainage ditch near Lewis, a new interchange at Harvard and a bridge replacement at Darlington. 

For drivers, it's a temporary hassle, for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, a blessing of riches fueled by federal money. But there's a problem -- the federal money stopped Sunday and without congressional action, soon the work stops as well.

"And we can't expect the contractor to work if we're not going to pay them and we can't continue to pay the contractor if we're not being reimbursed by the federal government," said Gary Ridley, Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

That could interrupt projects like a new interchange on Highway 75 South at 111th street. ODOT is building bypass routes now for highway traffic to allow construction of a new overpass. The $12 million project should be done this November.

The IDL project, even though it's stimulus money, is on the line as well. The state depends on weekly federal reimbursements to pay contractors and doesn't have the cash to get it going.

This week on Highway 169, just north of Interstate 244, ODOT begins a widening and bridge replacement job. The work will cause lane closures, mostly at night and on weekends, and will take one year to finish. It's a $16 million job.

The eight major jobs include the bridge replacements and new interchange on I-44 through Catoosa. Every project is overdue and every one depends on congressional action this week.

The ODOT director has some very direct words about what's happening in Washington and how disruptive and expensive it is to build highways week to week. Read his thoughts.

3/1/210  Related Story: Expect More Detours On Two Tulsa Highways

Planning your daily detour is as easy as clicking on to NewsOn6.com. Each day before you hit the road, be sure to click on the Daily Detour icon to make sure you don't get stuck in traffic. The button is on the right-hand side of the homepage. There you'll find the latest road construction projects in and around Tulsa.