NB Lanes Of U.S. Highway 75 At I-44 Junction Closed Through Sunday

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- All lanes of northbound U.S. Highway 75 will be closed at the I-44 junction starting Friday night, according to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

The lanes were closed starting at 7 p.m. Friday and will remain closed through the weekend. They are expected to reopen at 6 a.m. Monday.

Anyone who has traveled through the I-44 junction on Highway 75 has been caught in the congestion. It's down to one lane in both directions, but this weekend, the northbound lanes will be closed down so ODOT can pour new concrete on one of the bridges.

"And we need that so we can have safety for our workers and the paving equipment. We can't actually pave back a lane with traffic beside it, there's just not room," said Matt Casillas, ODOT Project Manager.

ODOT is replacing all of the concrete on four bridges just south of the interchange. They're starting on the highway, but they'll also do the on and off ramps.

The work that's just ahead for ODOT is just the first of at least six weekends ODOT will need to close the road to pour new decks on the bridges.

Casillas says the northbound bridge will reopen Monday morning, but it will still be down to one lane while they finish the sidewalls on the east side.

"All that type of stuff we'll be finishing over the next couple of weeks before we're able to switch and pour the other half," Casillas said.

The road closure will impact traffic all weekend. The road work will impact traffic through Christmas.

"We're hoping next weekend to do a pour on the southbound side and in another week or two weeks, go back and do another pour on the north side. We'll be switching sides for the next two or three weeks," said Casillas.

ODOT plans to have message boards in place to alert drivers of the situation and any unexpected delays. For now, they're encouraging drivers to find a suitable detour if they have to come through that area.

7/19/2010 Related Story: Construction Begins On Highway 75 Interchange In Tulsa