Major Road Project Starts As ODOT Works To Improve 5 Mile Stretch Of I-244

A major road project in Tulsa started Monday, as crews closed part of I-244 west of downtown. ODOT is repaving five miles of the highway between downtown and I-44.

Right now, this will impact drivers heading north and coming into downtown. There are some drivers that will have to get used to for a few months.

The road is closed, and now the work can begin on a yearlong project that promises improvements for a five-mile stretch of I-244.

"Bring it all up to standard and using some modern concrete, it should have a nice long service life for us,” Spokesman TJ Gerlach said.

And while ODOT starts taking care of the road, Donald Richards can be found taking care of his bike. He's been riding a motorcycle ever since he can remember.

"I just love it,” Richards said. “That's what I do. I ride."

Richards and every other driver who uses I-244 to get downtown will be directed to detour using I-44 and Highway 75 North.

"It's going to be a mess, and we're going to have to just see. Because you know what comes with that, right? Traffic jams, congestion and wrecks,” he said.

Gerlach said once the northbound lanes are repaved, crews will switch their focus.

"Once that's done around August, maybe September, then we'll switch that closure over to the southbound lanes and the southbound lanes will be completely closed,” Gerlach said.

The $52 million dollar project is expected to take about a year to complete. With his bike ready to roll, Richards looks forward to improved roads and smoother rides.

"Every road around here's just messed up. There's potholes everywhere,” Richards said. “I mean potholes that'll blow out your tire, bend your rim and everything else."

There will not be a detour between the Red Fork split and the river. ODOT says to expect delays there because of lane closures.