State, City Leaders Celebrate Opening Of Crosstown Bridge In OKC

Oklahoma leaders officially opened the new Interstate 40 Crosstown Bridge Thursday morning, but drivers are being urged to avoid it for a few hours.

Governor Mary Fallin joined around 200 state and city leaders, Oklahoma Department of Transportation workers, dignitaries and others for a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m.

1/3/2012 Related Story: New I-40 Crosstown Brings Changes To Oklahoma City Traffic

All on-ramps to the current eastbound I-40 Crosstown Bridge closed permanently Thursday at 9 a.m. Crews have narrowed eastbound I-40 to one lane between the Amarillo Junction on I-44 and the Dallas Junction on I-35. Crews also closed east and westbound I-44 off-ramps to I-40 and the eastbound I-40 off-ramp to southbound I-35.

The state is spending $670 million on the construction project, which is the largest ever in Oklahoma. The new bridge is designed to carry 173,000 vehicles every day. The old bridge was meant to carry only 72,000.

View a complete list of construction closings