Interstate 244 Multimodal Bridges

In 2011, 44 years after the construction of the first I-244 bridge over the Arkansas River, representatives from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation ( ODOT), the City of Tulsa, Tulsa Metro Chamber, and the Federal Highway Administration, along with Oklahoma state and local leaders, participated in a ceremonial groundbreaking on a construction project that was itself nothing short of groundbreaking: the state’s first - and one of only a few nationwide - double-decker bridge, westbound I-244 over the Arkansas River in Tulsa.

This was the first phase of an ambitious and significant advancement in Tulsa’s transportation infrastructure, a project that would improve mobility in the region, encourage economic growth, provide multimodal rail capabilities and pedestrian accommodations, and improve safety.

Roadway, rail line, and history converge at the I-244 Arkansas River crossing. This vital connection to the heart of downtown Tulsa and around the city served approximately 70,000 vehicles a day (and now serves 80,000), acted as a through line for freight, and represented one of America’s original and most iconic highways. Garver assisted ODOT from concept to completion, with the development of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Grant, through design and construction, working collaboratively with ODOT and the contractor, Manhattan Road & Bridge. 

A confluence of important bridges - the I-244 highway bridges, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail bridge, and the historic Route 66 Bridge - it is also one of only four Arkansas River crossings in Tulsa County, and one of eleven in the Tulsa metro area. Given its location, user volume, and connection to the Inner Dispersal Loop (IDL), the traffic corridor surrounding downtown Tulsa, it is the most critical.

Replacing the structurally deficient bridges required a productive partnership between ODOT and numerous stakeholders, the innovative application of new design techniques, and construction excellence from contractor Manhattan Road & Bridge. Together, Garver and Manhattan combined to deliver these elements to the successful delivery of one of the biggest projects in ODOT history.

On December 19, 2012, the 3,300-foot long westbound bridge opened to travelers. It could carry four lanes of highway traffic on its upper level. It’s lower level - designed to carry a high speed rail line, a commuter light rail transit line, and pedestrian traffic - provided multimodal capabilities aligned with the City of Tulsa and the Indian Nations Council of Governments’ (INCOG) plans for long-term development. Numerous organizations, such as the Tulsa County Board of Commissioners, Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, Metro Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, and the River Parks Authority endorsed the project.

The second phase of the project, the eastbound I-244 bridge replacement, began in June of 2013. In September of 2014, the 3,000-foot long bridge opened for use and the replacement was completed in the spring of 2015. Like the westbound bridge, the upper level accommodated four lanes of traffic. The lower level contained a pedestrian and bicycle facility with a scenic overlook of the Cyrus Avery Route 66 Memorial Bridge and plaza.

In addition to the project’s distinctive design and capabilities, both I-244 replacement bridges included artistic features, such as ornamental railings, special striping, artistic form liners for retaining wall faces, light pole wraps, painted arches, and artwork commemorating Tulsa’s history with Route 66.

The project was honored in 2013, winning an ABC Excellence in Construction: Heavy Infrastructure over $25M award, and again in 2018, when both the eastbound and westbound bridges were honored with an ACEC Oklahoma Engineering Excellence Award.