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Friday, January 16, 2009 5:00 pm by Kaci Christian, FOX23.com, Tulsa OK) – A project years in the making—the expansion of I-44 in Tulsa—is finally getting underway. This is on the north side of I-44 between Riverside and Yale. The first phase focuses on the portion between Riverside and Peoria. As FOX 23’s Kaci Christian shows us, Skelly Drive is facing some major changes.
“We’re here on the north side of I-44 at Skelly Drive at the intersection of Detroit. In order for the I-44 widening to happen, first they have to construct a massive underground drainage structure, and then move Skelly Drive over. It’s going to end up being right here, where the orange paint’s on the pavement,” reports FOX 23’s Kaci Christian. “Then, they’re going to build a second street, paralleling Skelly, for the neighbors to have access to, and in between, a massive 15-foot wall to block noise from the neighborhood.”
“I’m looking forward to it be done, and over with,” Robert Gilliam says.
He’s lived on Detroit Avenue, just off Skelly Drive on the north side of I-44, for twenty years.
The houses that used to be between his home and the freeway are gone, demolished to make way for the expansion.
But in two years, the end result should make a huge difference for Gilliam.
“The sound barrier wall to block off the noise of the traffic, it’ll be a good thing,” Gilliam adds. “And also keeping the dust down. We’ve had to make some adjustments ourself to just eliminate the dust out of the house, and trash from the Interstate, y’know? Just the normal things that go on with a public highway.”
