The I-40 Crosstown Expressway

Have you ever driven on a big road with lots of lanes and zooming cars? One of the biggest and most important roads in Oklahoma City is called the I-40 Crosstown Expressway. It helps people get across the city quickly and safely!

🛣️ What Is an Expressway?

An expressway is a very wide road where cars can go fast. It has no stoplights and is made for big traffic—thousands of cars and trucks every day!

The I-40 Crosstown is part of a much bigger road called Interstate 40 that goes across the entire United States—from North Carolina all the way to California!

🏗️ Why Did Oklahoma City Build a New One?

A long time ago, the I-40 Crosstown was built high above the ground on tall concrete legs. But over the years, it got old and crowded. Trucks shook the bridges, and it wasn’t safe anymore. So, the city decided to build a brand-new one!

🚜 How Did They Do It?

Engineers and construction workers worked together to:

• Build 34 new bridges
• Make the road wider with 10 lanes so more cars could fit
• Move it down closer to the ground so it would be stronger and safer
• They used giant machines to dig dirt, pour concrete, and set steel bars to hold it all together!

🏙️ What’s Special About It?

• It’s 4.5 miles long
• It was finished in 2014
• It carries more than 170,000 cars and trucks every day
• It helps people get to school, work, and even Thunder basketball games downtown!

And guess what? The old bridge was torn down, and now there’s a new street called Oklahoma City Boulevard where it used to be!

🧠 Why Is This Cool?

Building a big road like this is a huge job that takes planning, teamwork, and science. Engineers used math to figure out how much weight the road could hold. Workers stayed safe in orange vests and helmets. It’s like building a giant Lego set—with real machines!

🖍️ Want to Have Fun?

Print the coloring sheet of the I-40 Crosstown Expressway and make your own version of this awesome Oklahoma road!