Federal, state and local leaders gathered on March 11, 2026, at Interstate 40 and Douglas Boulevard in Midwest City, Okla., to 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 was completed by Allen Contracting Inc. and Shell Construction Co. Inc.

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.; Interstate 35 and Main Street in Norman; and I-35 and Lindsey Street in Norman.

"This project represents a forward-thinking investment as Oklahoma's communities continue to grow," Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation and Executive Director of the 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 6 mi. of I-40 were widened to six lanes between Industrial Boulevard and the Interstate 240 interchange, improving connectivity across eastern Oklahoma County. The project also addressed six bridges, including raising the Westminster Road bridge over I-40 to accommodate truck traffic, reconstructing the Douglas Boulevard bridge and removing the Engle Road bridge.

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