OKLAHOMA CITY — Drivers in Oklahoma City should prepare for significant delays and lane restrictions on the Kilpatrick Turnpike and Northwest Expressway as a major widening project gets underway Monday, February 23rd. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) project aims to expand the turnpike to six lanes between West Wilshire Boulevard and near Northwest 122nd Street.
The $23 million project, part of the ACCESS Oklahoma long-range plan, will add a 12-foot lane and an 11-foot shoulder, along with a median barrier wall throughout the construction zone. While the Kilpatrick Turnpike will remain open to traffic throughout the project, motorists should expect shifted lanes and narrowed travel lanes, with two eastbound and two westbound lanes maintained at all times, according to the OTA.
The project also includes widening turnpike bridges over Northwest Expressway. To facilitate this work, Northwest Expressway will be narrowed to one lane in each direction between County Line Road and Morgan Road on Monday and Tuesday to allow for the setup of the work zone. Lanes will reopen for the remainder of the week, but will be narrowed again in each direction from March 2nd through late spring 2026 for bridge work. Short-term night closures on Northwest Expressway are also anticipated once bridge beam work begins.
The OTA expects the entire project to be completed in spring 2027, weather permitting. This construction is expected to have a “big impact” on commuters, particularly those traveling in the Piedmont area, according to initial reports from KOCO News.
The widening project is a significant undertaking for the region, addressing growing traffic demands on a key transportation corridor. Officials have not yet detailed specific traffic management strategies beyond the lane closures and narrowing, but commuters are advised to allow extra travel time and to monitor traffic updates regularly.
The project’s start date comes after an announcement on February 20, 2026, and follows a period of planning and preparation by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Further details about the project, including potential detour routes and real-time traffic updates, are available on the OTA website.
