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OUTER LOOP: EAST-WEST CONNECTOR

INFORMATION

Outer Loop: East-West Connector

Corridor Manager:

Sean Kavanagh, PE, CFM

Poe & Associates

J. Bret Cabbiness, PE

Garver

ACCESS PROGRAM UPDATE

 

On Aug. 1, 2023, the Oklahoma Supreme Court affirmed the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s request for bond validation for the ACCESS Oklahoma long-range plan. This means that the 15-year plan, including three new routes to complete the Oklahoma City Outer Loop and relieve I-35 congestion, are now able to move forward. 

 

We are at the beginning stages of this long-range plan. OTA will move forward to enter the bond market, which will allow the Authority to restart the preliminary engineering activities for projects across the state in the coming months. 

 

This long-range plan has always been about the safety of Oklahoma motorists. OTA’s mission is to help facilitate traffic throughout the state by seamlessly connecting with the state highway system, thereby providing a choice for a safe, convenient and efficient user-funded transportation network. Our goal is to provide safe infrastructure while maintaining the lowest toll rate for our customers.

TBD

ESTIMATED COMPLETION

~28 Miles

PROJECT LENGTH

$1,500,000,000

ESTIMATED BUDGET

(Updated as of 03/25/22)

TYPE

New alignment high-speed expressway facility

OVERVIEW

The East-West Connector is a section of the OKC Outer Loop. For a history of the Outer Loop, click HERE.

The construction includes a new east-west turnpike from I-44 Tri-City area (Newcastle, Blanchard, Tuttle) at SH-37, crossing the South Canadian River, east to I-35, then continuing east along Indian Hills Road and then northeast to I-40, connecting to the new Kickapoo Turnpike. This project expands the mobility of the south Oklahoma City metro by providing greater access to Moore and Norman while continuing the Outer Loop.

The project includes interchanges at:

-I-44

-S. Western Ave/60th Ave NW

-I-35

-S. Bryant Ave/12th Ave NW

-S. Broadway

-S. Sooner Rd/12th Ave NE (SH-77H)

-S. Douglas Blvd/48th St

-South Extension Turnpike

-S. Choctaw Rd

-S. Peebly Rd

-I-40

Status
Project #
Designer
Project Scope
EWC-28001
MacArthur
New Alignment - I-44 / East-West Connector Interchange
EWC-28002
MacArthur
New Alignment - Bridge over the South Canadian River
EWC-28003
TEIM
New Alignment - Western Avenue Interchange Extending East to I-35
EWC-28004
TEIM
New Alignment - I-35 Interchange
EWC-28005
MKEC
New Alignment - I-35 Interchange Extending East 4.5 Miles
EWC-28006
EST
New Alignment - 4.5 Miles East of I-35 Extending East 3.0 Miles
EWC-28007
EST
New Alignment - 7.5 Miles East of I-35 Extending East Including South Extension Interchange
EWC-28008
CEC
New Alignment - East-West Connector Extending NorthEast Including Choctaw Road Interchange
EWC-28009
CEC
New Alignment - East of Choctaw Road Interchange Extending NorthEast Including Peebly Road Interchange
EWC-28010
CEC
New Alignment - East of Peebly Road Extending NorthEast to I-40 Interchange
EWC Projects Table

MEDIA

ACCESS OKLAHOMA PODCAST - EAST-WEST CONNECTOR

East-West Pod

DOCUMENTATION

Documentation for this project will be added as it becomes available.

01/24/2023

USBR Letter

01/24/2023

USBR Evaluation

01/24/2023

USBR Stakeholder Update

TIMELINE

Milestones will be added as project progresses.

Apr. 14, 2023

OTA placed all work on the ACCESS program on pause. 

Jan. 18, 2023

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation formally responded to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s application to cross its property for turnpike expansion under the ACCESS Oklahoma plan. While the agency denied OTA’s application along the route of the South Extension, they did indicate willingness to work with OTA on the East-West Connector’s alignment across pipeline and flowage easements. 

Dec. 8, 2022

OTA placed all work on the portion of the East-West Connector east of the proposed interchange with the South Extension on hold.

May 17, 2022

Contracts executed for the following firms to begin engineering design on the second priority East-West Connector projects:

- EWC-28008 = CEC

- EWC-28009 = CEC

- EWC-28010 = CEC

May 10, 2022

Contracts executed for the following firms to begin engineering design on the second priority East-West Connector projects:

- EWC-28005 = MKEC

- EWC-28006 = EST

- EWC-28007 = EST

April 22, 2022

Contracts executed for the following firms to begin engineering design on the first priority East-West Connector projects:

- EWC-28001 = MacArthur

- EWC-28002 = MacArthur

- EWC-28003 = TEIM

- EWC-28004 = TEIM

April 14-21, 2022

A series of four public meetings were hosted by OTA to discuss the new alignments in the ACCESS program.

April 13, 2022

ACCESS Oklahoma Newsletter sent out to property owners in the vicinity of the corridor.

Mar. 11, 2022

Engineering teams assigned to specific projects throughout the program to begin preliminary design and necessary studies of the corridor.

Feb. 22, 2022

Details of the long-range plan, designated as the ACCESS Oklahoma Program, are announced  and supporting website published.

Dec. 7, 2021

Secretary Gatz announces the OTA's intent to develop a 15-year long-range transportation infrastructure improvement plan.

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