What’s Happening?
Route 66 in Wellston, Oklahoma, is going to be shut down in both directions starting this fall. This isn’t just for a few weeks—it’s expected to be closed until next fall. The reason? A $48 million project by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to widen the road and rebuild a bridge. The construction is happening between I-44 and the Turner Turnpike, near mile marker 158, between State Highway 102 and U.S. Highway 177.
What Does This Mean for You?
To keep traffic moving on the I-44/Turner Turnpike, they’re setting up a detour that’ll cross Route 66 in Wellston. Because of this, the highway will need to close where the detour is. It’s a bit of a hassle, but it’s necessary.
Local drivers will have their own detour, but it comes with size and weight limits. So, if you’re driving something big, you’ll need to find another route.
Here’s How to Get Around:
- Westbound I-44/Turnpike Traffic: If you’re heading toward Wellston, you can still take the westbound off-ramp and keep going on westbound Route 66. But you won’t be able to turn onto eastbound Route 66 from there.
- Eastbound Traffic to Wellston: Coming from the east? You’ll have to detour south on U.S. Highway 177, go west on U.S. Highway 62, and then head north on State Highway 102 to get back to eastbound Route 66.
- Eastbound from West Wellston: If you’re on the west side of Wellston and need to go east, you’ll detour south on State Highway 102, then head east on U.S. Highway 62, and finally go north on U.S. Highway 177 to get back on Route 66 or hop on the eastbound I-44/Turner Turnpike on-ramp.
What’s Coming After?
Once all the work is done, there’ll be two new bridges that can handle six lanes of traffic. Route 66 will also get sidewalks under the new bridges, getting ready for future expansion to four lanes.
Source: Land Line
