The day will come when motorists in Purcell will have the option of new access to I-35 from State Highway 74.
That project, supported by both the City of Purcell and Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce, is still in the preliminary planning stages.
The project won’t proceed with the speed of the bridge replacement between Purcell and Lexington, however. That work was fast tracked.
Rather, actual construction is still four years out – sometime in 2025.
In the meantime, there are the preliminaries that precede the actual plans.
In fact, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation is just three months into an environmental impact study – a study that can take up to a year to complete.
If an environmental concern is found, it could scuttle the whole project, according to city manager Dale Bunn.
Bunn said the study will take into account anything historic or buried, as well as endangered species.
None is anticipated, but the possibility exists.
One concern now is OGE lines to the west of where SH 74 passes beneath the interstate.
The options are moving the lines or design ramps beneath them.
At present, it’s still up in the air where the ramps will be located and how many there will be.
In an online survey, residents preferred a total of four ramps.
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