Several construction projects will begin in Norman this spring.
The first project begins Feb. 15 and will widen Interstate 35 to six lanes from Indian Hills Road to half-way between Main St. and Robinson St., said David Meuser, spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
The construction will last 600 days into the summer of 2010, Meuser said.
During construction, two lanes of traffic will be open in each direction, he said.
“I would expect traffic to slow down a little bit,” Meuser said. “People need to plan a little extra time to get somewhere.”
The highway will have electronic signs to inform drivers how many minutes it will take to get through traffic, he said. The time will vary each day, but it’s a useful tool to have, Meuser said.
This construction is part of a larger project that will widen all of I-35 to six lanes, Meuser said. Part of the project will include rebuilding bridges and roads on U.S. Highway 77, he said.
“There will be more gentle curves on U.S. Highway 77,” Meuser said. “It should improve traffic through that area.”
There is also another highway project in the works with the City of Norman to build a bridge over West Rock Creek Road. The bridge will be funded mostly by the city, but the Oklahoma Department of Transportation will also contribute, he said.
Bridge construction will occur around the first of March, said Shawn O’Leary, director of Public Works for the City of Norman. Five existing bridges will undergo construction during the next five years, he said.
The first bridge will be built on East Rock Creek Road. The east part of the bridge will connect to 24th Ave. Northeast and the west part of the bridge will connect with 36th Ave. Northeast, O’Leary said. The other five bridges will be reconstructed one by one, most likely going in the order of U.S. Highway 77, Main St., East state Highway 9, Lindsey St. and West state Highway 9, he said.
The bridges will incorporate public works of art that are being designed by an art consultant, O’Leary said.
“This is definitely a first for Norman and for Oklahoma as well,” he said.
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