Major Construction Project Set To Begin On Broken Arrow Expressway

If you're tired of driving through construction zones, brace yourself because a new project is hitting a major highway.

Most of the major highways are already bogged down with construction workers. It's causing a lot of frustration with drivers and now it's spreading to the Broken Arrow Expressway.

Starting Monday, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation will begin fixing bridges on the Broken Arrow Expressway.

Lane closures are expected in both directions between Harvard and Yale.

"We need to get them replaced," ODOT Spokesperson Kenna Mitchell said. "Over the past several years we've had several emergency repairs on the ones over Pittsburg due to some holes that have gone through the bridge deck."

If you take a look at the bridge that runs over Pittsburg Avenue you'll see planks of wood, which are being used as a temporary fix.

"I'm actually for it because there's actually been quite a bit of the bridge just collapses sometimes," driver Trey Johnson said. "I think all the bridges around here are kind of not in the greatest condition."

The eastbound bridge of the BA that runs over the railroad tracks is also getting a facelift. There are currently three other major highway construction projects going on.

Those are at I-244 over the Arkansas River, I-44 between Riverside and Yale and I-244 between Memorial and the I-44 corridor.

"I realize again this is the fourth major construction project that we have on local highways right now, but this is another sign that we're doing some good things on the highways," Mitchell said.

ODOT says this is the prime construction season because of the warm weather. But drivers say if it's going to give them more headaches then they'd rather see it not happen.

"If it's going to mean more delays and more difficulty getting around then hopefully it goes a little quicker than the previous construction," driver Michael Kelley said.

The $2.7 million project is expected to be finished by the end of the year. ODOT is also urging people to watch out for the construction workers in these zones. They say that last year one was killed by a driver not paying attention.

It's easy to keep up to date on all the area road projects, just click on the Daily Detour link.