By M. Scott Carter
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Saying it was one of the largest bids ever awarded, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved the first phase of a $200 million Interstate 35 expansion project in Norman Monday.
The commission, voting unanimously, awarded the $35.3 million construction deal to Haskell Lemon Construction Company of Oklahoma City. The project includes an increase in the number of lanes -- on both the northbound and southbound sides -- on about five miles of I-35, beginning just north of the Main Street intersection and extending north toward Oklahoma City.
In addition to the highway's expansion, ODOT officials said the highway would have improved median barriers and overhead lights installed.
The action was praised by four of the eight members of Cleveland County's legislative delegation.
"I'm just thrilled," said state Rep. Scott Martin, R-Norman. "We've been working on this project since 1999 and it's certainly been a long time coming."
When complete, Martin said the five-mile stretch of the interstate would be expanded to six lanes to address the area's heavy traffic flow.
"With more than 70,000 cars traveling on that stretch each day it will do a lot for traffic control," he said.
Martin attended the meeting along with Rep. Wallace Collins, D-Norman, Bill Nations, D-Norman, and state Senator John Sparks, D-Norman.
Nations, a former Norman mayor, said the improvements announced Monday have been needed for years. "I've been working with state transportation officials to improve the roadway since I first became involved in municipal politics 22 years ago," he said. "We've needed this for a long time."
Sparks said he was pleased "that Norman is finally getting the consideration it deserves on highway improvements."
"There are four highways connecting Oklahoma City to Edmond and there's only one way to get to Norman," he said. "It's good to see that highway access to Norman is being addressed but we still need to address mass transit funding, too."
Sparks urged Norman residents to be patient while construction is being completed. "We can't have improved roads without the construction that makes it happen."
Transportation Department Director Gary Ridley said the construction was necessary because of the area's traffic volume.
He said the number of vehicles using the interstate in Norman was above the highway's capacity. "It's way over capacity," Ridley said. "It's become increasingly more of a problem."
Documents show between 70,000 and 80,000 vehicles use the highway every day -- making it one of the state's busiest four-lane stretches of highway.
Transportation officials said they hope to begin construction by March. "Usually it takes between 45 to 90 days to get started," said David C. Streb, ODOT's director of engineering.
When complete, Streb said the new stretch of highway would be "very similar" in appearance to the recently completed stretch of Interstate 40 from the Amarillo junction west to Morgan Road. "If people want to know what the finished product will look like, they can look at I-40," he said.
Streb said the project is the first of two major projects to widen I-35 through Norman. The second, widening the interstate from Main Street south to the Canadian River, is in early planning stages.
"We're still developing that project," he said. "It will be a while before we're ready to go."
M. Scott Carter 366-3545 scarter@normantranscript.com
