I-235 to close Friday to set new railroad bridge spans in place
Get ready for the big move. A portion of Interstate 235 will close Friday night as workers prepare to move new railroad bridge spans in north Oklahoma City over the weekend, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation reported.
The bridge spans will be moved during daylight Saturday and Sunday mornings, but all lanes of I-235 between NW 36 and Interstate 44 will close at 7 p.m. Friday, with an expected reopening at 6 a.m. Tuesday, after cleanup and other finishing work.
High winds delayed the work onJan. 19, but crews are prepared to move the spans this weekend, as winds should be lighter Friday night and Saturday morning.
The 45-foot-high spans will replace the existing BNSF bridge. The spans represent about $30 million of a three-year, $88 million project to add lanes and replace bridges along a two-mile stretch from NW 36 to slightly north of NW 50.
The overall project is expected to be completed in late 2019. The artery handles up to 100,000 vehicles each day.
Each 275-foot-long
span weighs about 2 million pounds and is fitted with 300,000 bolts. They will be carried and lifted by eight self-propelled mobile transporters.
The public may watch at a gathering spot on the east side of the NW 50 bridge abutment. Bleachers
will be provided for up to 100 people. Public parking will be available along North Cooper Avenue.
Another option to watch is a livestream at the ODOT website.
During the bridge work, motorists will need to use alternative routes such as I-35, I-40, I-44, State Highway 74/Lake Hefner Parkway or Lincoln Boulevard.