Rough I-35 near Blackwell to get smoothed over soon

Interstate 35 near Blackwell is about to get a whole lot smoother.

The Oklahoma Transportation Commission on Monday awarded a roughly $6.6 million contract to Haskell Lemon Construction Co. of Oklahoma City to resurface about 11 miles of Interstate 35 in Kay County.

The repaving project will begin south of US Highway 60 near Tonkawa and extend north of State Highway 11 in Blackwell, transportation officials said.

The project is expected to start in November, weather permitting. The contractor may receive an extension to start the project in early 2022 if necessary, officials said.

Lisa Shearer-Salim, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, said the resurfacing project will lengthen the life of the roadway and make it smoother.

“The resurfacing will definitely improve surface conditions for motorists,” Shearer-Salim said. “We know there is a lot of need in that area.”

Heavy winter storms earlier this year battered the aging roadway and left large potholes in the asphalt. The transportation department fielded numerous complaints from motorists about the road conditions, Shearer-Salim said.

“This is a much-needed project,” she said.

The interstate will be narrowed to one lane in both directions intermittently while work is in progress.

More information will be released before the project begins.