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OUTER LOOP: EAST-WEST CONNECTOR

INFORMATION

Outer Loop: East-West Connector

Corridor Manager:

Sean Kavanagh, PE, CFM

Poe & Associates

405-754-6195

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

-South Extension Turnpike

-S. Choctaw Rd

-S. Peebly Rd

-I-40

INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS

EWC Projects Table
East-West Pod

MEDIA

Content will be continuously provided as project progresses.

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.

Oct. 17, 2023

First priority projects resumed preconstruction design activities:

- EWC- 28001: New Alignment - I-44 / East-West Connector Interchange = MacArthur

- EWC- 28002: New Alignment - Bridge over the South Canadian River = MacArthur

- EWC- 28003: New Alignment- Western Avenue Interchange Extending East to I-35 = TEIM

- EWC- 28004: New Alignment- I-35 Interchange = TEIM

- EWC- 28005: New Alignment- I-35 Interchange Extending East 4.5 Miles = MKEC

 

NOTE: Remaining EWC projects east of EWC-28005 are not in first priority and remain inactive

Oct. 17, 2023

First ACCESS Program Bond Sale.

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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