# Civic Matters > Suburban & Other OK Communities > Norman >  HWY 9 widening?

## zacelliott

Theres's a huge pile of concrete barriers at Imhoff and 24th East in that open field. Are they starting the widening of HWY 9 here pretty soon? Haven't read anything about it.

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## venture

I believe that is correct. This year is the widening to 48th.

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## ou48A

A segment of HY-9  is planed soon but I was told that the state will eventually 4 lane HY -9 all the way to just south of Shawnee.

HY 9 in the Norman area needs to be brought up to near interstate standers.... Its a dangerous road.

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## venture

> A segment of HY-9  is planed soon but I was told that the state will eventually 4 lane HY -9 all the way to just south of Shawnee.
> 
> HY 9 in the Norman area needs to be brought up to near interstate standers.... Its a dangerous road.


It's already been approved for Hwy 9 to go to 4 lanes all the way to Tecumseh. 

The improvements are needed because the most dangerous spot is through East Norman by the lake. People just drive way too fast for the road out there. I still believe we should see Hwy 9 go over the major intersections it has lights at night to allow for a better flow of traffic. Granted rush hour isn't that terrible (just went through it) but it would help. Of course the biggest bottle neck, westbound, is the light at 24th SW. No reason why Hwy 9 shouldn't be going over that intersection with the rebuild right now.

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## zachj7

Does anybody know the specifics of the work done on 9? Are the building overpasses with entrances and exits like a normal urban highway/freeway?

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## HangryHippo

> Does anybody know the specifics of the work done on 9? Are the building overpasses with entrances and exits like a normal urban highway/freeway?


Can you elaborate on what you mean by normal?

Here's a brochure that show the cloverleafs planned for the new HWY 9/I-35 interchange - http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/meeti...2/brochure.pdf

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## venture

> Does anybody know the specifics of the work done on 9? Are the building overpasses with entrances and exits like a normal urban highway/freeway?


Well there are two projects. The new I-35 interchange which has already started and then the widening project east of US 77. They've already repaved the section in between and redid the bridge over US 77 a few years ago, so they aren't touching that this time around.

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## zachj7

Sorry, normal may not be the best term. I was wondering if they were going to make hwy 9 with overpasses over the main roads with lights full with exits and entrances to keep traffic flowing. Getting to the east side of Norman can take a long time sometimes.

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## HangryHippo

No worries, zach, I just didn't know what you meant exactly.  But I don't think what you're asking about is in the cards.  If it is, I haven't heard a word about it.

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## Just the facts

They need to establish a building moratorium in south and east Norman so future growth doesn't reclog the road after they widen it.

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## kevinpate

> ...Getting to the east side of Norman can take a long time sometimes.


psssst. Two words.  Tecumseh Rd.  Mum's the word.

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## venture

> Sorry, normal may not be the best term. I was wondering if they were going to make hwy 9 with overpasses over the main roads with lights full with exits and entrances to keep traffic flowing. Getting to the east side of Norman can take a long time sometimes.


As far as I'm aware there are no plans to put in any overpasses at any of the streets between I-35 and 12th SE. I don't think I've ever spent more than 10 minutes going from I-25 to US 77, even during peak rush hour. Yeah it backs up at times, but nothing terrible. Sure game day traffic and such is crazy, but that is the exception.

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## venture

> They need to establish a building moratorium in south and east Norman so future growth doesn't reclog the road after they widen it.


It isn't so much heavy traffic for why they are widening it, it is a safety thing. It is one of the more deadly strips of road because people don't know how to 1) watch the speed limit and 2) watch for those turning.

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## ou48A

> They need to establish a building moratorium in south and east Norman so future growth doesn't reclog the road after they widen it.


Even if Norman had a building moratorium in eastern parts of the city there are large amounts of growth in rural and small towns to the east that will keep HY-9 increasingly crowded and dangerous.

It needs to be brought up to near interstate standards for several miles at a minimum... It would have been done 30 to 40 years ago in Texas.

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## venture

Some many opinions of what Hwy 9 should be...by those that aren't driving it every day.

Do we need overpasses put it? It would be nice, especially at the main bottle neck points. In reality though it only backs up for a very limited amount of time per day. Sitting through one cycle of a traffic light isn't the end of the world.

Let's also not hijack this topic in thinking the widening is solely for the reason of heavy traffic. They are widening the 2 lane road east of 77. The primary reason for this safety for people turning. There isn't exactly bumper to bumper traffic going out to the Lake everyday.  :Smile:

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## ou48A

> Some many opinions of what Hwy 9 should be...by those that aren't driving it every day.
> 
> Do we need overpasses put it? It would be nice, especially at the main bottle neck points. In reality though it only backs up for a very limited amount of time per day. Sitting through one cycle of a traffic light isn't the end of the world.
> 
> Let's also not hijack this topic in thinking the widening is solely for the reason of heavy traffic. They are widening the 2 lane road east of 77. The primary reason for this safety for people turning. There isn't exactly bumper to bumper traffic going out to the Lake everyday.


Exactly.....but at least I'm driving it on all days of the week at and at several random times of the day   unlike many commuters...
I'm on parts of HY - 9 probably 100 time a year on average and that enough to know that its crowed and dangerous by any reasonable standard.

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## HangryHippo

> Exactly.....but at least I'm driving it on all days of the week at and at several random times of the day   unlike many commuters...
> I'm on parts of HY - 9 probably 100 time a year on average and that enough to know that its crowed and dangerous by any reasonable standard.


This post doesn't make a lot of sense.  You drive it every day, several times a day, but on average you're on the road 100 times per year?  Does not compute.

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## ou48A

> This post doesn't make a lot of sense.  You drive it every day, several times a day, but on average you're on the road 100 times per year?  Does not compute.


Where did I say I drove it every day?
 I drive it at random times of the day, for a total of about 100 times a year.

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## blink

> Some many opinions of what Hwy 9 should be...by those that aren't driving it every day.
> 
> Do we need overpasses put it? It would be nice, especially at the main bottle neck points. In reality though it only backs up for a very limited amount of time per day. Sitting through one cycle of a traffic light isn't the end of the world.
> 
> Let's also not hijack this topic in thinking the widening is solely for the reason of heavy traffic. They are widening the 2 lane road east of 77. The primary reason for this safety for people turning. There isn't exactly bumper to bumper traffic going out to the Lake everyday.


I think what people are mostly concerned about is the future, and how it's probably going to only get worse.  In addition to that, it's hard to see other areas of the state actually being proactive and planning ahead like the widening of the Kilpatrick Turnpike to a 6 lane road so far advance for planning purposes (yes, different funds, but still).  And of course, Texas always planning ahead too with their roads for future growth.  As someone that lives off Highway 9, yes it only gets severely backed up a few times a day, but even for the rest of the parts outside of 11 PM to 6 AM, it's still way more crowded then it should be.

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## pure

I wonder how this will affect my commute to work (NCED). I, along with 300+ other employees, use the employee entrance that is just east of the "Technology Pl." traffic light. However, I'll be glad when this section of road is 4 lanes because I feel very unsafe coming to a dead stop waiting to turn into the parking lot when the speed limit is 50mph and there's only one lane.

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## venture

Much of the concrete plant is built now at 24th and Imhoff. Construction officially kicks off in July and will finish up in April 2015. As we've touched on in the past, the road will be 4 lanes to 36th in this phase. The center median will be extended east through this new section. The intersection at 24th will see improvements and updated traffic lights for Technology Place, Saxon Blvd, and 36th.

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## tfandango

I heard from my biker buddy that they are planning a bike path all the way along HW9 to Thunderbird?  Anyone else hear that?  He had not other details, we hoped it was NOT just a wider shoulder for bikes (that would be terrifying) but rather a seperate trail like what is north of Robinson by the airport.  I hoped this would be part of the HW9 work, but I'll probably be dissapointed.

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## venture

> I heard from my biker buddy that they are planning a bike path all the way along HW9 to Thunderbird?  Anyone else hear that?  He had not other details, we hoped it was NOT just a wider shoulder for bikes (that would be terrifying) but rather a seperate trail like what is north of Robinson by the airport.  I hoped this would be part of the HW9 work, but I'll probably be dissapointed.


Never heard anything like that.

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## BG918

A separated jogging/bike trail along Hwy 9 is in the Trails Master Plan.  I don't know its status and funding though.

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## ou48A

I was told that it’s very early in the discussion phases….. but that there is growing interest among a few select elected leaders about improving HY- 9 in the Norman area to near Interstate standards?

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## venture

Nothing really new. They tore out the median last week. Main show starts this weekend.

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STATE HIGHWAY 9 WIDENING PROJECT – 24TH AVENUE SE TO 36TH AVENUE SE
On Friday, July 18, 2014, Allen Contracting, under contract with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), will shift traffic to the north side of State Highway 9. The shift will allow the south side of State Highway 9 to be reconstructed. Signs will be placed to direct traffic through the construction zone. Drivers should use extra caution when driving through the area.


Currently, at the intersection of State Highway 9 and John Saxon Boulevard, the traffic signals are on fixed timers until the new traffic signals are installed. In addition, the exclusive left turn lanes have been removed for the remainder of the construction project. Because there are no left turn lanes, the traffic signals will only allow traffic movements in one direction at a time in order to provide traffic with a protected left turn at the intersections off State Highway 9 with 24th Avenue SE, Technology Place and John Saxon Boulevard. For this reason, traffic has been delayed and more congested at these intersections in recent weeks.
To provide temporary relief to traffic, beginning in the first week of August 2014, new traffic signals equipped with video detection systems will be installed at the three intersections listed above. After the new traffic signals are installed, the amount of time dedicated to each leg of an intersection will be based on the amount of traffic detected in each direction. This will improve travel times by reducing potential unnecessary red lights to traffic traveling on State Highway 9.


Construction of the State Highway 9 Project from 24th Avenue SE to 36th Avenue SE began Monday, July 7, 2014. This is a $9.5 million construction project awarded to Allen Contracting of Oklahoma City. This is the first phase of the State Highway 9 Widening Project. The project should be completed no later than April 2015 but the contract includes a 90 day contract incentive clause and could be completed as soon as January 2015. The project includes widening from two lanes to four lanes with a center median from 1,300 feet west of 24th Avenue SE to 1,300 feet east of 36th Avenue SE, storm water improvements, replacement of traffic signals at the intersections of 24th Avenue SE, Technology Place and John Saxon Boulevard and a new traffic signal at the intersection of State Highway 9 and 36th Avenue SE.


Additional questions may be directed to Mr. Josh Malwick, City of Norman Capital Projects Engineer at (405)366-5454 or Josh.Malwick@NormanOK.gov.

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## Dar405301

Please don't tell me they're gonna put a signal at every mile road!?!

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## venture

> Please don't tell me they're gonna put a signal at every mile road!?!


It's the Norman way.

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## Dar405301

idk, maybe it's for the best. turning left from 72nd(or any of the main section roads) onto number 9 is really dangerous with it at 2 lanes!

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## Plutonic Panda

http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/newsm..._in_Norman.pdf

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## kevinpate

It'll be a pain during the process, but I'll be glad when they improve the area from 72nd to 108th. If I am on a east bound run, like Shawnee or Holdenville or surrounding area, I often take E Robinson across Norman out to 84th, then drop south to Hwy 9. Nice scenery, but I'm not real  crazy about the 84th/Hwy9 part of it, coming or going. Could stand a bit of improvement.

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## Plutonic Panda

Oklahomans To Weigh In On Plan To Improve Dangerous Highway - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

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## venture

Glad to see News 9 about 2 years behind on this story. lol

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## Plutonic Panda

"The $13 million project is expected to begin in 2020 and will be completed in less than two years."

State details widening plan for Oklahoma Highway 9 - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

2020 here we come!

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