Widening Project Underway For Busy Highway

Friday, June 8th 2007, 10:07 am

By: News On 6

An Owasso man is in the hospital after an accident on Highway 20. Thirty-seven-year-old Che Morris was driving westbound on the highway early Friday morning when another driver ran into the back of him. Morris' vehicle then caught fire. The wreck prompts a reminder for drivers along that stretch of Highway 20 to slow down and be cautious. News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports it's a busy road with traffic made even heavier by a large widening project underway.

Except on recent rainy days, heavy machines have been a constant sight along Highway 20 for several months. Eventually the four mile stretch of Highway 20 will become four lanes, plus a fifth turn lane.

It comes as welcome news to many drivers along the busy stretch of highway.

During phase one of the $12.8 million project, crews will build two new eastbound lanes. Once they're finished, traffic will drive along the new road, and the old highway will then be removed and replaced by two new lanes, plus the turn lane.

"It should have been done a long time ago," said Owasso resident BJ Greenhaw.

According to the Department of Transportation, closer to Claremore, the average traffic count each day along Highway 20 is 8,600 vehicles. But that dramatically increases as you get further west closer to Owasso and Highway 169. Just inside the Tulsa County line, that jumps to more than 14,000 vehicles each day. And that's based on ODOT traffic counts that are now a couple of years old.

Drivers, like Greenhaw, who has lived in Owasso for more than 40 years, say the widening project is needed.

"Won't be so heavy on the traffic, the traffic will be lightened up so it will be better to get to work," Greenhaw said.

There have been several other studies for improvements along Highway 20 from Claremore to the current project, but ODOT says at this point there isn't any funding set aside for further road work in their current eight year plan.

The contractor has an incentive of $7,500 for each day they finish the current widening before deadline or a $7,500 penalty for each day they're late.

The widening project is expected to be finished by next April.

Watch the video: Construction Begins On Dangerous Highway