I emailed ODOT today about I-40 between I-44 and Meridian because the work left the road in such crappy condition compared to before the work.

Good news everyone! The work is not complete, but was suspended during the winter months. When they resume (in February when they see consistent warmer temps), they WILL be diamond grinding the surface and will actually also be sealing the concrete with an asphalt layer as well.

As in the top layer will be asphalt?

That is going to suck in 2 years. I-40 has a very large amount of semi-trucks. Asphalt is much softer than concrete and probably will be in bad shape after a few summers and winters of the heavy truck traffic pounding away at it.

Could be, but if they're able to resurface it more often like they did just west of this section, then i think we'll be better off. Remember, this is something like the 3rd time they've patched and planed the concrete here so there has to be some limit to how many times you can do that before you start compromising the road. And this last time definitely didn't last very long (all those huge cracks). Putting asphalt on top is a stop-gap to the eventual need to re-do the whole thing, which will be a LOT more intense, expensive, slow, etc.

As in the top layer will be asphalt?

That is going to suck in 2 years. I-40 has a very large amount of semi-trucks. Asphalt is much softer than concrete and probably will be in bad shape after a few summers and winters of the heavy truck traffic pounding away at it.

Yep. It's going to look like that I-40 bridge going over I-44. Remnants of a 2-inch thin top layer broken all to hell by snow plows and semi trucks. Can't wait!

Yep. It's going to look like that I-40 bridge going over I-44. Remnants of a 2-inch thin top layer broken all to hell by snow plows and semi trucks. Can't wait!
It's unreal how bad it is.

That's great that we want it to be better, but how are we going to pay for it.

ODOT doesnt do these things because they think its the best way to handle it. They do it this way because that's what they can AFFORD. Remember, OK law is that we can't go into debt on projects...so no loans. We have to have the money in hand (bond/grant/tax/etc). So it cost what, a couple million to do this project this way and make it last another 20 years before the next evaluation. Compare that to the tens of millions it would cost to rip it up and re-concrete it.

I dont have any love for ODOT or anything, im just looking at this realistically. I've been a proponent of that extra 5-10 cent gas tax for roads. Being a consumption tax, the more you use, the more you pay since the more you use, the more you're tearing it up. So those semi's you speak of, pay a lot more. But heaven forbid we increase a tax here to pay for things. We all seem to want it without paying for it like some magic money fairy is going to come in and plant a tree that grows cash on the capital grounds.

Im interested in seeing what comes form this whole Step-Up campaign. A good flushing of the state legislature wouldn't hurt either.

I dont have any love for ODOT or anything, im just looking at this realistically. I've been a proponent of that extra 5-10 cent gas tax for roads. Being a consumption tax, the more you use, the more you pay since the more you use, the more you're tearing it up. So those semi's you speak of, pay a lot more. But heaven forbid we increase a tax here to pay for things.

It should be noted that unlike sales taxes, which are a percentage of the total sale, gas taxes are typically computed as X number of cents per gallon. (I do not know for certain that this is the case with the state gas tax, but I know it is for the federal.) That means that they don't naturally rise with inflation as percentage taxes do. The cost of construction materials has greatly outpaced inflation since the federal gas tax was last raised in the early 1990s.

We should really raise the tax to account for inflation, and index it so that it automatically rises with inflation, but good luck getting that through the Oklahoma legislature.

It should be noted that unlike sales taxes, which are a percentage of the total sale, gas taxes are typically computed as X number of cents per gallon. (I do not know for certain that this is the case with the state gas tax, but I know it is for the federal.) That means that they don't naturally rise with inflation as percentage taxes do. The cost of construction materials has greatly outpaced inflation since the federal gas tax was last raised in the early 1990s.

We should really raise the tax to account for inflation, and index it so that it automatically rises with inflation, but good luck getting that through the Oklahoma legislature.

Sounds like a formula that would be in the Oklahoma's best interest.

Anybody know what construction is taking place on I40 just east of I235?

Anybody know what construction is taking place on I40 just east of I235?
I believe they're adding a second lane to the exit to EB exit to I-40/I-35. I'll try to find the link I saw on Twitter.

"Receiving commission approval was a contract for a more than $5 million project in downtown Oklahoma City with a statewide impact. This project will modify portions of the I-35/I-235/I-40 junction, commonly known as the Dallas Junction, to add an extra north and southbound I-35 lane between M.L. King Ave./Eastern Ave. and S.E. 15th St. Currently, all I-35 traffic must move into a single exit lane to navigate through the junction with I-40, causing considerable traffic safety and congestion issues. The project is expected to begin in spring 2018 and take about five months to complete."

https://www.ok.gov/triton/modules/newsroom/newsroom_article.php?id=277&article_id=38452

For those interested, the plans are at:
http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/contracts/index-list.php?ltype=1&year=17&month=11
Job Piece 30444

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/40050618.jpg

I noticed lanes on I-35 south and northbound have been shifted over slightly in the past week or so.

I noticed lanes on I-35 south and northbound have been shifted over slightly in the past week or so.

I wonder if that’s the permanent alignment. It looks like they used more permanent looking paint.

^Good question, possibly. But as it stands right now the left exit-only northbound lane overlaps the shoulder, which I'm guessing is temporary, unless they plan on re-aligning that later. I think the right-most lane in that area on southbound I-35 (that comes from I-235) is also overlapping the shoulder as a result of al lanes being shifted to the right.

I think the shoulder will be going away anyway. They are adding a lane without expanding the bridge.

I don’t think the shoulder is wide enough to restriped as a lane? I’ll need to double check the plans, but it appears it will narrow before it hits the bridge. This projects just appears to be extra capacity to try and prevent backups on I-40 WB. Would be nice if they could continue a new lane over the bridge.

I believe the original striping was 4 lanes plus 2 10ft shoulders. The new striping will be 5 lanes and 2 4ft shoulders, IIRC.

I believe the original striping was 4 lanes plus 2 10ft shoulders. The new striping will be 5 lanes and 2 4ft shoulders, IIRC.

And that's basically what they just painted. The shoulders are now very narrow across the bridges - not wide enough for a vehicle anymore.

I guess it's a bandaid solution. Hopefully no one breaks down on the bridge.

And that's basically what they just painted. The shoulders are now very narrow across the bridges - not wide enough for a vehicle anymore.

Yep. The paint looks permanent and not temporary. I drove through late at night while they were doing it and it was a significant undertaking.

Not sure why this keeps happening but it seems to happen right about when they get it fixed from prior time but cars keep crashing into the concrete barrier at the top of the Shields’s exit off east bound i40

This is at least 3rd time it has happened and taken out the concrete wall. They literally just fixed it about a month ago and someone already drove into wall. I assume cars are going on the shields ramp at too high of speed not knowing it makes a T at the shields intersection on top of the bridge

Not sure why this keeps happening but it seems to happen right about when they get it fixed from prior time but cars keep crashing into the concrete barrier at the top of the Shields’s exit off east bound i40

This is at least 3rd time it has happened and taken out the concrete wall. They literally just fixed it about a month ago and someone already drove into wall. I assume cars are going on the shields ramp at too high of speed not knowing it makes a T at the shields intersection on top of the bridge

Ok this is becoming funny now (not for the people actually hitting it though). They just fixed this spot for probably 3rd time and not even 6 weeks later someone ran thru this again putting hole in the concrete bridge barrier again last night. This is at the top of the shields exit from i40

Might be time for rumble strips along the ramp to slow people down or something.

People drive onto that ramp at 80 mph regularly. It's reckless driving and the people who crash into it should be charged by the city for repairs.

People drive onto that ramp at 80 mph regularly. It's reckless driving and the people who crash into it should be charged by the city for repairs.

They absolutely should be. It's not hard to see that there is a stoplight at the top.

They absolutely should be. It's not hard to see that there is a stoplight at the top.

I think the insurance claim for totaling their own car (and the associated rate increase) will be enough punishment lol.

Recently they installed giant signs with the red and white stripes to help warn people, but I guess it is still happening. Personally, I don't understand how sober people would go straight through those lights. Like you just got off the interstate and want to keep going straight? Maybe they took the exit by mistake and their mind is programmed that most intersections directly off the highway will have an onramp at the same spot.

https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/red-white-diagonal-stipes-flat-steel-sheet-caution-road-sign-faded-red-white-diagonal-stipes-flat-steel-sheet-227771372.jpg

Just looked it up, news9 says it was someone that was street racing. They ended up dying.

https://www.news9.com/story/62f10e40b62f0d070e325572/ocpd-respond-to-fatal-accident-at-i40-and-south-shields-boulevard

Just looked it up, news9 says it was someone that was street racing. They ended up dying.

https://www.news9.com/story/62f10e40b62f0d070e325572/ocpd-respond-to-fatal-accident-at-i40-and-south-shields-boulevard

I don't know if this has always been a thing, but a group of people meet up every Sunday night/Monday morning in Wheeler Park to street race down Western and down I40. It's a caravan of cars. They will go down Western at over 100 mph. A few months ago, one sped over the train tracks, lost control, and hit a powerline pole and building, knocking power out to surrounding neighborhoods for hours. The racing literally happens every Sunday night, so I have no idea how police haven't figured this out, given it's been called in multiple times.

I think the insurance claim for totaling their own car (and the associated rate increase) will be enough punishment lol.

It’s been like. 50% death rate on everyone who has hit the wall. The person street racing last night died because they went through wall and fell to ground under bridge.

Ha. On google street view, it shows damage in this area.

It’s been like. 50% death rate on everyone who has hit the wall. The person street racing last night died because they went through wall and fell to ground under bridge.

That might have been from the second time it was hit. You can see on google that it had been repaired before as the paint color doesnt match.