Upcoming changes to the I-44/Turner Turnpike in Wellston will significantly alter traffic patterns starting next week, as reported on Friday. Westbound traffic will be redirected to a temporary bypass at SH-66 due to ongoing bridge reconstruction. Travelers can expect a series of closures beginning Monday night to prepare for these changes, according to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.

Starting at 8 p.m. Monday, there will be a lane reduction on westbound I-44/Turner Turnpike just east of the Wellston off-ramp at mile marker 158 until 6 a.m. Tuesday. Additionally, the westbound off-ramp to Wellston will be closed from 9 p.m. to midnight Monday. When the lanes reopen Tuesday morning, motorists will notice a significant shift in the lane configuration as they approach Wellston, a setup expected to last through summer 2025, as reported by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.

Reconstruction efforts mean that eastbound and westbound SH-66 will remain closed just west of the I-44/Turner Turnpike bridge near US-177 until summer 2025. Westbound I-44/Turner Turnpike traffic can directly exit to Wellston, while eastbound traffic must follow a detour along SH-66, US-177, US-62, and SH-102. The $48 million project to rebuild the I-44/Turner Turnpike bridge is designed to accommodate a future six-lane corridor. Sherwood Construction Co. Inc. from Tulsa secured the contract last year, with completion expected, weather permitting. Travelers can check for updates from the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.