I-40 Douglas Blvd. ribbon cutting marks completion of historic interchange project

Oklahoma Department of Transportation

PR #26-009 March 11, 2026

I-40 Douglas Blvd. ribbon cutting marks completion of historic interchange project 

Federal, state and local leaders gathered Wednesday at I-40 and Douglas Blvd. in Midwest City to officially cut the ribbon and open the more than $170 million U. S. Senator James Inhofe interchange. The ceremony celebrated the completion of one of the largest highway construction contracts in Oklahoma Department of Transportation history and honored the legacy of Inhofe. 

The project transformed the interchange into a modern Single-Point Urban Interchange, also known as a SPUI, designed to improve traffic flow and enhance safety while minimizing impacts to surrounding properties. This is now the fourth SPUI on Oklahoma’s state highway system, joining I-40 and Morgan Rd.; I-35 and Main St. in Norman; and I-35 and Lindsey St. in Norman. 

“This project represents a forward-thinking investment as Oklahoma’s communities continue to grow,” Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation and Executive Director of Oklahoma Department of Transportation Tim Gatz said. “By modernizing the I-40 and Douglas interchange with a single-point urban interchange, we’re improving traffic flow, increasing safety and strengthening a vital corridor near Tinker Air Force Base that will serve thousands of employees, military personnel and businesses for decades to come.” 

In addition, more than six miles of I-40 have been widened to six lanes between Industrial Blvd. and the I-240 interchange, improving connectivity across eastern Oklahoma County. The project also addressed six bridges, including raising the Westminster Rd. bridge over I-40 to accommodate truck traffic, reconstruct the Douglas Blvd. bridge and remove the Engle Rd. bridge. 

The interchange was officially designated the U.S. Senator James Inhofe Interchange by the Oklahoma Legislature in recognition of Sen. Inhofe’s decades of service and his leadership in advancing transportation and infrastructure funding for Oklahoma, including support for the $51 million federal INFRA grant awarded in June 2021 that helped fund the project. 

On behalf of the Inhofe family, Molly Rapert and Katy Swan, the senator’s daughters said “to celebrate Dad’s life – and his love of Oklahoma – with today’s dedication is testament to the importance he placed on providing for a strong national defense and supporting a strong transportation and infrastructure system to facilitate commerce. I want to thank the State of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation for honoring our dad, Jim Inhofe, in such a meaningful way." 

Speakers highlighted the significance of the investment, particularly near the gates of Tinker Air Force Base, where the interchange serves as both a key military and economic corridor. 

“Today’s ribbon cutting for the U.S. Senator James Inhofe Interchange at I-40 and Douglas Boulevard honors a veteran and longtime champion of Oklahoma’s military. In the U.S. Senate, Inhofe was a tireless advocate for Tinker Air Force Base and our service members. As Chair of the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, I’m proud to see his legacy and service to our nation memorialized here in Senate District 42,” said State Senator Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City.  

The project was completed by Allen Contracting Inc. and Shell Construction Co. Inc. and is open to drivers. 

View the full article: Oklahoma.gov