The clock is officially ticking for one of northwest Oklahoma City's busiest choke points. Construction to replace the May Avenue bridge over Northwest Expressway is set to kick off on May 26, 2026, according to city officials, launching a roughly two-year rebuild that will take out the old bridge and bring in a diverging-diamond interchange. The redesign is meant to make turns easier and improve safety, but drivers can count on ramp closures, narrowed lanes and shifting traffic patterns while the work is underway. The city says the project is covered by the 2017 bond program, along with regional grants and street-development fees.
Project scope and schedule
According to the City of Oklahoma City's project page, crews are scheduled to start work May 26, and construction is anticipated to last about 24 months. Manhattan Road & Bridge is listed as the contractor, with a construction budget of about $14.8 million.
The city materials say the plan is to replace the existing bridge, install a diverging-diamond interchange (DDI) and add new ramps, upgraded traffic signals, improved street lighting and aesthetic touches. Officials say traffic will stay at ground level using temporary lanes and signal control while ramps are torn out and rebuilt, so drivers will still get through the area, just more slowly and with a lot more cones.
Why the overhaul
Regional planning documents show the May Avenue bridge went up in 1952 and has since been rated structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. Inspections have flagged deterioration in both the deck and the substructure, along with a low vertical clearance that has left the span vulnerable to hits from tall vehicles.
The public meeting presentation prepared by the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) notes 377 collisions in the project area over the past decade, including one fatality and seven serious injuries. Local reporting has also pointed back to a 2016 crash that partially collapsed the bridge after a truck struck it, leading to emergency repairs; see coverage by KOCO.
Traffic impacts and detours
Local reporting warns that drivers will not have to wait long to feel the effects. The northbound May Avenue ramp is scheduled to close starting May 26, and the southbound ramp will close off and on until the project wraps up, which means periodic detours and lane shifts in the area.
During demolition and reconstruction, drivers can expect lane reductions, narrowed shoulders and temporary signal patterns. Crews may schedule night work to move some phases along more quickly. Motorists are urged to follow posted detours, build in extra travel time and obey the temporary signal setups around the interchange; local details are available from KFOR.
Funding and contracting
The city lists the funding mix as the 2017 bond program, an ACOG grant and street development fees, and again pegs the construction budget at about $14.8 million. State procurement records show the job was let in March 2026, a procurement step that comes before the contract award and the official start of work.
City and regional documents state that project phasing is set up to keep at least two lanes open on Northwest Expressway at all times while the interchange is rebuilt, so the route stays open even as it gets torn apart and put back together.
Where to get updates
The city's project page includes phasing diagrams, FAQs and contact information, along with maps and timelines for the work. Local outlets KOCO and KFOR are expected to share updates as short-term closures and detours are announced during construction.
