Major Project Begins On Tulsa’s Downtown Highway Loop, Another Wraps Up

A major construction project is causing big traffic backups on the highway loop around Downtown Tulsa.  

Half of the east leg of the Inner Dispersal Loop is closed, and at the same time, work is being done on the north leg. 

Related Story: Major Construction Project Begins On IDL In Downtown Tulsa

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation said it never intended for these two projects to happen at the same time, and they will not be running together for long. 

"Well, it's kind of an unfortunate situation,” ODOT Spokesperson TJ Gerlach said.  

Video from the Osage Casino Skycam Network Monday morning shows the backup as work continued on the north leg of the Inner Dispersal Loop. ODOT said that should be done in a few days.  

"This first week is just gonna be really rough,” Gerlach said.  

Gerlach said the signage and lighting work being done on the north leg was delayed because some of the materials needed to do the work, were not delivered on time.  

"We never intended this to happen,” he said. “The signage project was supposed to be out of the way before this time." 

Monday, drivers inching their way south on Highway 75 ran into the beginning of a much bigger project. The southbound lanes of East leg of the IDL are now closed. 

ODOT said that part of the project is expected to last several months, with the goal to wrap up by spring of next year. Gerlach said it is time for new barriers, lighting and fresh pavement.   

"If anybody has driven on that east leg recently, knows that concrete is pretty much near the end of its service life, so it was time to replace it,” Gerlach said.  

Once the southbound lanes are done, ODOT said the contractor will turn around and update the northbound lanes, too.  

Depending on the weather, ODOT said the entire project on the east leg, including both south and northbound lanes, should be done by early 2023.