Keetonville Hill Reconstruction Getting Closer To Completion

The massive reconstruction of Keetonville Hill between Owasso and Claremore is getting closer to completion. Crews are hopeful drivers will be able to utilize new parts of the road around Memorial Day.

Construction has been underway for a little more than a year. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation says there have been minor delays but have mostly stayed on track.

The $44-million project calls for Highway 20 in Owasso to extend over the top of the hill with a smoother curve and more lanes to bypass the existing road. The new lanes will connect to the Highway west of the hill.

ODOT says blasting for the project is done and crews are starting to pave the new westbound lanes of the road. Crews are also expected to lay the deck of the new bridge that will be on the east side.

ODOT says the big focus when starting the project was safety for drivers.

“The old section of Highway 20 that exists currently is twisty, it’s curvy, and then especially during weather events we would have rock slides coming down onto the road," said TJ Gerlach, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. "Underneath the road we would have erosion causing some problems there too so this is definitely a major improvement."

Crews are hopeful to have the entire project finished sometime this summer.