Another phase of the Broadway Extension/I-44 corridor reconstruction in Oklahoma got under way at the end of July and continues towards a late 2009 completion date.

The $30 million contract by the Oklahoma Transportation Commission was awarded to Allen Contracting and Muskogee Bridge Company. The project involves a highway interchange at Memorial Road and Kelly Avenue near Edmond. It will include realigning the interchange, widening Broadway Extension (U.S. 77), and reconstruction ramps and frontage roads at Kelly Avenue and Memorial Road.

The reconstruction was made necessary by rapid growth in the area that resulted in increased traffic volume. It will align Kelly Avenue into a continuous street in an effort to minimize traffic problems and increase the carrying capacity of the corridor. Contractors also will add a dedicated off-ramp from the northbound Broadway Extension to northbound Kelly Avenue.

According to the Oklahoma Transportation Commission, a total of 65,000 cars pass through the area each day. Currently, motorists are urged to find an alternate route as the construction progresses. Because the corridor is narrow, space around the work zone is limited.

It is reported that all businesses in the corridor will remain accessible throughout the construction. Message boards will alert motorists to real-time conditions, and also will alert them of upcoming detours.

In hopes of minimizing driver inconvenience, the Ohio Department of Transportation has included contract incentives to reduce the number of days construction affects motorists. The incentive also includes penalties if construction continues longer than the contract allows. CEG

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