OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — Overnight delivery drivers and early shift workers will have to find a different way through the always-busy intersection of Northwest Expressway and Wilshire from midnight to 5 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14.
The span across the expressway will be hoisted into place for a massive pedestrian-bike bridge, a project that has snarled traffic in the area for months already.
If all goes according to plan, traffic is expected to start to flow again for the regular morning rush hour after 5 a.m.
However, traffic is expected to be congested until mid-October because of the closure of the outside lanes going inbound and outbound as an effort to complete the project continues.
The bridge is a $5.3 million dollar project we reported November 2021.
Safety
The bridge is intended to keep walkers and cyclists safe as they cross over the expressway along the trail that connects Lakes Hefner and Overholser.
It will include ramps that will lead up to the bridge deck and then back down again on both sides very close to the crosswalk at NW Expressway and Wilshire.
However, not all in the cycling and walking communities are excited about the project. They have criticized it as being for “car convenience”
The design of the bridge includes a large ornament that is supposed to be reminiscent of grill ornaments on 1950s cars which is not appealing to some cyclists.
“So rather than having a pedestrian bridge remind drivers that we care about pedestrians,” said Anthony Carfang, “the pedestrian bridge is designed to celebrate cars.”
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
