Broken Arrow Expressway Surfacing Project To Be Finished On Schedule

Work on a big resurfacing project on the Broken Arrow Expressway will be done before Christmas, ODOT says.

The work to resurface the Broken Arrow Expressway between Lewis and Downtown started back in January, and ODOT says the project is wrapping up on schedule.

For the thousands of drivers that take this highway every day, it's been a year full of congestion and slow-downs on the BA.

"We lived here for 39 years, right on the corner of the BA right here," Mark LeMieux said.

LeMieux says the construction noise has been annoying.

"You hear that beep, beep, beep, the back alarms will just drive ya nuts, but if they're getting ready to wrap it up, I'm a happy camper," said LeMieux.

ODOT says all the chaotic construction was long overdue.

"That area on the Broken Arrow Expressway was just really torn up; it was definitely past its service life, and it definitely needed the new refresher," said spokesman T.J. Gerlach.

He says the newly repaved stretch of highway has the same number of lanes but is now a much smoother ride and is also safer.

"It had a grass median with no barrier wall, so that's the biggest change that people will see along with the new pavement," said Gerlach.

Crews will spend the rest of the week painting lines on the westbound side before it's all back open, giving drivers and people living nearby a break from construction.

"I'm glad to have the peaceful neighborhood, that's all. All these dump trucks and jackhammers and cranes and backhoes and all that it's nice to have a little peace and quiet for a change. Looking forward to that," said Mark LeMieux.

ODOT says over the next few weeks, there might be some temporary lane changes and closures as crews put the final touches on this project.