Several Oklahoma Department of Transportation projects affecting McClain County near Newcastle have been approved. These include widening work on U.S. Interstate 35 and the new interchange at State Highway 9 and I-35. They also include changes in speed limits at Newcastle.
Transportation Secretary Tim Gatz told Commission members that engineering plans to prepare construction plans for I-35 in McClain County were approved to CEC Corporation at a cost of $1,223,156. Gatz thanked the Commission for their approval on the I-35 engineering contract to continue the widening efforts in McClain County. The project extends north from Johnson Road and will widen and add capacity from four lanes to six lanes on the I-35 corridor. Gatz also thanked ODOT’s Chief Engineer, Brian Taylor, for his work on the interactive dashboard that will soon be available.
Gatz continued the project updates with the significant I-35 and SH9-West reconstruction project saying construction will continue through Spring of 2026.
This project will bring a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) that will accommodate heavy traffic, improve navigation and will expand I-35 to six lanes from the Canadian River, south to Goldsby. The Department has smart work zones in effect during the construction that use traffic sensors and displays messages on the construction progress to accommodate traffic flows.
Engineering on another project at Newcastle was approved. It includes preliminary engineering and preparation of construction plans for State Highway 76 in Mc-Clain County. The engineering firm Hudson Prince Engineering & Inspection, PLLC, was approved at a cost of $1,089,257.
The commission at its January meeting also approved installation of school zonerelated equipment along SH76 in Newcastle to include gradual step-down school zone advanced warning signs with flashing beacons, and pavement marking improvements.
ODOT information shows this is at a cost of $24,000.
