Widening I-35 Between Norman And Oklahoma City

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The first phase of a widening and improvement project along Interstate 35 in Norman has been launched by the Oklahoma Transportation Commission.

The commission Monday approved a $35.3 million project to improve about five miles of the highway between Norman and Oklahoma City. The rest of the $200 million project will be built in phases over the next six or seven years.

Transportation Department Director Gary Ridley says traffic volume along I-35 in Norman is above the highway's capacity and that the widening project is long overdue. Ridley says between 70,000 and 80,000 vehicles use the highway every day.

He says the current four-lane highway will be expanded to at least six lanes and as many as eight lanes in some areas.