Expect ‘very lengthy’ delays on Oklahoma interstate through July 2022

Oklahoma transportation officials are warning drivers that a construction project will cause traffic backups and delays on I-35 now through summer 2022.

Starting on Monday, January 17, I-35 will be down to just one lane in each direction between Thackerville and Marietta in Love County for a bridge construction project.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) says that the lane closures will remain in place until early July 2022.

“Drivers can expect lengthy delays and traffic backups along the I-35 corridor due to several construction projects and should consider using an alternate route,” ODOT said.

ODOT suggested the following alternate routes:

• US-81 to the west, which runs from Fort Worth, Texas through Duncan, Chickasha, El Reno and Enid to Wichita, Kan.
• US-69/75 to the east, which runs from Dallas, Texas to the Tulsa area and to I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike at Big Cabin, providing access to Joplin, Mo. and Kansas City

The $32 million construction project includes reconstruction of the I-35 bridges over US-77 and the BNSF Railway north of Thackerville in multiple phases.

You can visit www.oktraffic.org for the latest travel information from ODOT.