Road Project Causes Traffic Congestion On Broken Arrow Expressway

A current road project near the Highway 75 ramp is adding to the congestion and ODOT says that congestion is far from over.

ODOT says the winter we had two years ago caused it, and the options were lane closures or a complete shutdown of the expressway.

Westbound traffic on the BA during evening rush hour is bumper to bumper.

ODOT is patching the road with concrete because of the horrendous winter of 2015, and it is in a lot worse shape than originally thought.

What drivers see are brake lights and construction cones.

“You have to plan to leave 30 minutes early just to get where you’re going,” said Elizabeth Therrien.

Our cameras caught a driver realizing, after the fact, the sea of traffic that lay ahead, and he wasn't having it.

We also saw workers just feet from cars near the Highway 75 ramp.

“I always worry one of the construction workers is going to get hurt because not enough signs letting you know what’s going on over there,” stated Therrien.

ODOT says it has been a work zone for months with signs starting at Harvard. But aside from the ramp on the BA, you cannot see one between Harvard and 75.

From SkyNews6, you could see cars attempt to merge with minimal success.

News On 6 was told that the contractor for the project is footing the bill for Troopers to keep an eye on things here.

The westbound patchwork ends Friday but begins on the Eastbound lanes next week. After that, similar closures will occur when they lay the asphalt.

ODOT tells us the extent of the work left them no choice but to narrow the lanes or shut the expressway down completely.

“Would you rather them shut down the road or do what they're doing now? I would rather a detour. [It] would be better and safer, a lot safer,” said Therrien.

ODOT asks drivers to please keep an eye out for workers and of course stay off your phones and pay attention.