Part of new Crosstown to open Thursday

After nearly seven years, one-half of the most expensive road construction project in state history is scheduled to open for traffic Thursday.

The eastbound lanes of the new Interstate 40 Crosstown will open for traffic about 1 p.m. Thursday. Westbound motorists will continue to use the existing Crosstown for another three to six weeks, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

A ceremony marking the opening of the east lanes roadway is set for 10 a.m. Thursday near the Western Avenue bridge.

After comments from federal, state and local officials, a caravan representing nearly 100 local businesses will drive on the eastbound lanes.

The public is welcome to observe.

“This is a really big mile- stone for us, to be able to start taking traffic off of the old highway,” said Brenda Perry, a spokeswoman with the state Transportation Department.

The new Crosstown is about five blocks south of the existing roadway.

It runs from near the Interstate 44 junction east to the junction with Interstates 35 and 235.

Motorists who use the existing eastbound Crosstown may want to consider an alternative route Thursday until the new roadway opens that afternoon, Perry said.

Eastbound lanes of the existing Crosstown will be narrowed to one lane from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. between I-44 and I-35 to shift eastbound I-40 traffic to the new I-40 Crosstown alignment, she said.

Motorists are strongly encouraged to avoid the area as the eastbound I-40 traffic shift takes place.

In addition, the eastbound and westbound I-44 off-ramps to the existing eastbound I-40 Crosstown and the eastbound existing I-40 Crosstown off-ramp to southbound I-35 will be closed during that time.

Motorists driving on the new eastbound Crosstown should use caution until they are familiar with the roadway, Perry said.

“We’re asking them to slow down, pay extra attention because it will be a different traffic pattern to get used to,” she said.

Favorable weather has helped put the $670 million construction project ahead of schedule.

Transportation officials in August estimated motorists would be diverted from the existing Interstate 40 Crosstown Expressway onto the new 10lane roadway by late April.