OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation says work on a major north Oklahoma City highway interchange could last up to 10 years because of funding issues.

ODOT Director Gary Ridley says much of the rebuilding project for the interchange between Interstates 44 and 235 remains unfunded. He says the agency is "looking at ways of speeding that up."

Work on the $150 million project will begin during the second half of 2011. ODOT spokeswoman Brenda Perry tells The Oklahoman that bidding for the $24.8 million first phase of the project will start early next year.

The interchange now handles 140,000 vehicles per day, almost double what it was designed to handle when it was built. After the project, it should be able to handle 170,000 vehicles per day.