Starting on Tuesday, a portion of Route 66 in Wellston will be closed for up to a year for a construction project.>> Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.Both directions at off-ramps for Interstate 44 and the Turner Turnpike will be shut down during construction. The groundbreaking for the $48 million project happened in April, but the goal is to widen a section of the Turner Turnpike to six lanes and make the trip to Tulsa faster."I think if you've driven to Tulsa recently, you know it's needed to widen the rest of the Turner Turnpike," Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Director Joe Echelle said. Construction on the Turner Turnpike will take place on the bridge that runs over Route 66. Officials said they understand the impact this will have as it closes the highway for the next year."It is such an economic driver for the state of Oklahoma as well," Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell said. "Over half of all sales tax collected in the state of Oklahoma is on a Route 66 road."Detours will be added in the area for all traffic. To get construction done quickly, the OTA has offered the contractor $20,000 per day to finish the project early.>> Download the KOCO 5 AppRoute 66 also will see improvements during the closure, including added shoulders and sidewalks."This particular location on Route 66, we will make you proud of what it becomes," Oklahoma Department of Transportation Director Tim Gatz said.Route 66 near Wellston will close starting 7 a.m. on Tuesday.Top Headlines Victim taken to hospital after overnight fight leads to stabbing in northwest Oklahoma City Oklahoma Highway Patrol mourns death of trooper after battle with pancreatic cancer Labor Day 2024 deals: Prices slashed on major home appliances Feed delivered to ranch where dozens of horses died contained monensin, preliminary tests show Mystery of ‘Pinnacle Man’ found frozen in a cave solved after nearly five decades