TULSA – Construction on Tulsa’s Inner Dispersal Loop (IDL) is set to begin Monday, July 20, affecting access to Oklahoma State University-Tulsa from westbound Interstate 244.

The westbound lanes of I-244 on the north and west legs of the IDL will be closed and access to OSU-Tulsa from the Detroit Avenue exit will be blocked. The closure is part of a large construction project and is expected to take about 200 days to complete.

OSU-Tulsa officials encourage students, faculty, staff and visitors to take one of several alternate routes to campus. For example, from westbound I-244, drivers can take the First Street exit. They may also take Highway 75 north, exiting at Pine Street and then traveling west to Greenwood Avenue.

Westbound drivers on the Broken Arrow Expressway (SH-51) can exit at Detroit Avenue and travel north through downtown to the main campus entrance at John Hope Franklin Boulevard and Detroit Avenue. They may also stay on the Broken Arrow Expressway traveling on the south, west, then north legs of the IDL and exit at Cincinnati Avenue.

After construction of westbound lanes is completed, crews will begin work on the eastbound lanes of I-244 on the north leg of the IDL. At that time, the Cincinnati Avenue exit of I-244 will be closed. Construction of eastbound I-244 is also expected to last about 200 days.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), Tulsa’s IDL reconstruction is the single-largest project in the state’s history. The project will rebuild the north and west legs of the IDL, which includes portions of I-244, US-412, US-64 and SH-51.

The $75 million stimulus-funded project will also replace the decks on 44 bridges on the north and west legs of the IDL and repair the surface on portions of the east and south legs. The stimulus money is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

OSU-Tulsa is located just north of downtown at 700 N. Greenwood Avenue. Click here to view a map of the I-244 construction closures and alternate routes to campus.

News Contacts:

Mary Bea Drummond
918-594-8223

Trish McBeath
918-594-8360