Transportation & Structural Design

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) selected MAC as Program Manager and Project Engineer for the Oklahoma City Boulevard. The highway was created to make use of the former I-40 right-of-way, after the I-40 Crosstown Realignment project relocated I-40 to the south along a former rail alignment. The project removed the existing bridge structure and reconnected the new highway with the central business district in downtown Oklahoma City. The project involved the design of the remaining segments of the Oklahoma City Boulevard between Pennsylvania Avenue and EK Gaylord Avenue in downtown Oklahoma City. The Boulevard consists primarily of three different lane configurations: a six-lane median divided roadway on the west end, a four-lane median divided roadway in the center segment, and a five-lane section on the east end of the project. The job was designed and constructed in three separate sectors to facilitate funding, traffic control, and construction sequencing coordination.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) selected the MacArthur Associated Consultants (MAC) Team to provide the preliminary engineering study for the Interstate 44 (I-44) Belle Isle Corridor Study in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. The purpose of this project was to evaluate options that would result in the elimination of structurally deficient bridges in the study corridor as well as improve roadway geometrics and operational safety. The study included the review and analysis of the existing highway and site information, the study of multiple alignments, and the selection of a preferred alignment. Our team was responsible for performing the study and identifying potential design options to determine the construction needed for the corridor. Alternative offset alignments were also included as part of the evaluation of preliminary alternatives. The study resulted in a report evaluating options with associated impacts and costs for each option. The MAC Team was also responsible for public and stakeholder involvement, and the MAC Survey Team performed surveying as needed for quick, quality, and reliable data.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) selected MAC to serve as the Program Manager for the $670 million-dollar I-40 Crosstown Realignment. The original I-40 Crosstown Expressway, built in 1965, was constructed to carry 75,000 vehicles daily. By 2008, more than 100,000 vehicles were traveling on the roadway daily. Federal funding was approved in May 2002 to construct the largest transportation project in state history, to relocate I-40 to the south along a former rail alignment.

MAC provided mainline and interchange concepts resulting in final functional design plans for the interchanges at I-40, I-235/I-35, and I-40/I-44. MAC also provided the overall drainage study, utility coordination, right-of-way plans, and overall project management coordination for the final design development of the construction plans.

This project is currently in design. The primary purpose of the project is to replace the slab span bridge on I-35 over SH-33. In addition, several traffic management and safety improvements will be incorporated into the design. Additional turn lanes will be added to SH-33 at the interchange with I-35. Also, dual parallel acceleration lanes will be added to the southbound on-ramp and one parallel deceleration lane will be added to the northbound off-ramp. The improvements will be designed to allow four through traffic lanes during construction.

In 2015, as part of the Driving Forward initiative, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) recognized the need for a connection of I-44 (Turner Turnpike) to I-40 in Eastern Oklahoma County to add vital intersections for travel. MAC was selected to provide professional engineering for a major portion of the new 21-mile Kickapoo Turnpike, including the middle section and the Canadian River crossing. Completed in 2021, the Kickapoo Turnpike connects I-40 and the Turner Turnpike, which has produced a drive-time reduction to access Tulsa from the southeastern OKC Metro, as well as alleviate congested traffic in the Oklahoma City area.

MAC was selected by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to serve as one of the consulting engineers to provide on-demand engineering services to include design, final plans, specifications, and construction contract documents for the OTA ACCESS Program.

MAC’s portion of the program includes:

The East-West Connector – a portion of the approximately 18 miles of new construction on a new alignment from I-44 in the Tri-City area to the new South Extension east of Oklahoma City, including the bridge over the South Canadian River.

The JKT to Tri-City Connector – approximately 8 miles of new construction on a new alignment extending the existing Kilpatrick Turnpike at SH-152 to I-44 in the Tri-City area.

In 2015, as part of the Driving Forward initiative, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) recognized the need for a connection of I-44 (Turner Turnpike) to I-40 in Eastern Oklahoma County to add vital intersections for travel. MAC was selected to provide professional engineering for a major portion of the new 21-mile Kickapoo Turnpike, including the middle section and the Canadian River crossing. Completed in 2021, the Kickapoo Turnpike connects I-40 and the Turner Turnpike, which has produced a drive-time reduction to access Tulsa from the southeastern OKC Metro, as well as alleviate congested traffic in the Oklahoma City area.

MAC was chosen by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) to replace two structurally deficient bridges carrying I-35 over the Washita River.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) selected MAC to provide professional engineering services to perform field assessment and subsequently to produce the construction plans for the four-lane bridge. The proposed improvements for the project included replacement of deck slabs, approach slabs, beams, and bearings. The geometrics were one of the project’s key components as the original bridge had been modified several times. One span was added to the original three-span bridge and later widened to the west. The new finish grade transitions back to the existing grade at both ends of the bridge in the shortest distance possible.

In November of 2021 construction began on the 121 ft span bridge over the six-lane Northwest Expressway. MAC is honored to support the City of Oklahoma City in their efforts through the MAPS 3 program to make Oklahoma City a more walkable and bikeable community. The bridge links the Hefner-Overholser trail to allow pedestrians and bikers to safely cross at NW Expressway. Designed by MAC in partnership with ADG Blatt Architects, the bridge reflects classic cars from the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s and the city’s aviation heritage as reflected in nearby Wiley Post Airport and Clarence E. Page Airport.