The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) is looking into a plan that would turn US Highway 412 into an interstate. The project would span Oklahoma, running through Tulsa to the Arkansas border.
A public meeting Tuesday drew citizens and public leaders concerned about the impact.
ODOT engineers showed the current condition of US 412 with maps and graphs and the plans to convert it into an interstate.
"412 is pretty heavily traveled and growth models show it will have more travelers going forward," said TJ Gerlach, spokesman for ODOT. "We want it to meet industry standards for safety."
ODOT offered information on the plans to widen shoulders and eliminate crossings where drivers can currently turn left or right onto side roads. Instead, drivers would have on and off-ramps across the 190-mile proposed conversion, from Noble County to Springdale, Arkansas.
ODOT said in a news release that the study focused on:
- Addressing Congressionally mandated legislation to convert U.S. 412 to an Interstate
- Improving safety for all travelers on U.S. 412
- Enhancing mobility and improving system and travel time reliability
- Enhancing system linkage by connecting rural and urban communities, national airports and inland ports, and freight supply chains
Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) officials will hold their public meeting Thursday. Afterward, the agencies plan to create a baseline for their complete study.
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Source: KJRH.com
