Oklahoma awards Crosstown dirt project
Project is milestone for Expressway’s path to construction from May Avenue to Interstate 235
BY MICHAEL MCNUTT
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Published: November 3, 2009
The last dirt-work project for the Crosstown Expressway will start soon.
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The Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved an agreement Monday with the state’s turnpike system that calls for the Transportation Department’s director to also head that agency.
Gary Ridley’s new duties take effect immediately.
With Ridley, who also is Oklahoma’s transportation secretary, also heading the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, the Transportation Commission approved three senior staff assignments.
John Fuller, the Transportation Department’s deputy director and chief engineer, will just serve as deputy director.
Gary Evans was named to serve as chief engineer to oversee technical aspects of the department’s work.
Casey Shell was named director of operations and will administer the agency’s highway construction and maintenance operations.
MICHAEL MCNUTT, CAPITOL BUREAU
Once that project is finished, in about a year, paving work will start on the new roadway that stretches from May Avenue to Interstate 235, about five blocks south of the existing elevated highway. It’s expected the project, estimated to now cost about $644 million, will be completed in 2012.
After the road opens, the elevated Interstate 40 Crosstown Expressway will be knocked down.
The next set of projects will be ready for bid in about a year, transportation officials said.
Paving should begin late next year on the 4.5-mile roadway, said
John Bowman, project development engineer for the Crosstown Expressway.
The dirt-work contract was awarded to Sherwood Construction,
Allen Contracting and
Manhattan Bridge Co.
The project will be near Pennsylvania Avenue. It also ends the Transportation Department’s rail work in the corridor and will finish work on
Pennsylvania over the
Oklahoma River.
"It’s a pretty big milestone in the course of the project,” Transportation Department
Director Gary Ridley said.
Twelve of 20 construction projects required to rebuild the I-40 Crosstown are at various stages of progress. The Crosstown Expressway project is the most expensive in state history. It’s funded mostly by federal money.
"It’s a great day for the Crosstown, to be able to let and award this last grading project and to be able to move forward with that,” Bowman said.
The contract awarded Monday is not expected to affect interstate I-40 traffic, but it could cause lane shifts for motorists on Reno Avenue.
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