Glad school will be out by then!

You know, it's been fascinating watching this construction happen. We drive by at least twice daily and are always talking about how incredibly difficult it must be to plan and execute such a massive plan while continuing to have an open highway running right through it.

Um. What. This is going to be insane.

It says "5 days, weather permitting".

Let's all hope we don't get some major Class 3 Killstorm.

I believe both sides are being shifted west onto a temporary road between the Junction and the railroad bridge. Demolishing the concrete median and building temporary crossovers for northbound traffic is probably why its taking five days. Otherwise, they could have demolished the rest of 50th street bridge in one weekend.

This will be OKC's version of L.A.'s Carmageddon when the 405 was closed for a full weekend.

Of course this isn't Los Angeles but this will also affect several regular business days.
Didn't carmageddon turn out just fine because nobody went out those two days? I kinda think same thing might happen here

Didn't carmageddon turn out just fine because nobody went out those two days? I kinda think same thing might happen here

Yes, a complete non-event.

I suspect many downtown employers will give people a pass to 'work from home' for those few days.

Yes, a complete non-event.

I suspect many downtown employers will give people a pass to 'work from home' for those few days.

Plus it eliminates 20 2 lane days. That's significant. Positives outweigh negatives here

Reminder that I-235 near I-44 closes starting tonight at 8PM and should reopen on 8PM Wednesday if there are not complications or weather delays.

Reminder that I-235 near I-44 closes starting tonight at 8PM and should reopen on 8PM Wednesday if there are not complications or weather delays.

Looks like a lot of rain all weekend. Hope that doesn't delay it too much

Is the SB I-235 to WB I-44 ramp still going to be open? Surely it will since all of the work will be going on south of the intersection.

^ Yes, it's still open.

This closing would be the perfect opportunity for someone to get some drone shots in!

Took these this morning.

First one shows what is left of old 50th Street bridge. Second one shows the freeway just to the north.



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/50th060417a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/50th060417b.jpg

From @okdot


OKC - I-235 between the I-44 interchange and N. 36th St. is set to open sometime in the overnight hours ahead of the Tuesday morning commute

This closing would be the perfect opportunity for someone to get some drone shots in!

I was thinking the same thing! I've got a drone, it isn't the greatest, but I would love to try!

Looks like all lanes are open this morning, according to several live reports.

Looks like all lanes are open this morning, according to several live reports.

Yes, and also flyover from EB I-44 to SB Broadway Extension is back open. Yay!

They also lowered the speed limit to 45 for southbound I-235.

It doesn't seem like it should take 2 more years to finish this project. After the new railroad bridge is constructed, everything else is pretty straight forward. Just a lot of Earth that needs to be moved where the old lanes use to be.

They also lowered the speed limit to 45 for southbound I-235.

It doesn't seem like it should take 2 more years to finish this project. After the new railroad bridge is constructed, everything else is pretty straight forward. Just a lot of Earth that needs to be moved where the old lanes use to be.

Two more years? I thought it wasn't going to be complete until 2024.

Two more years? I thought it wasn't going to be complete until 2024.

Two years for this particular project. The whole interchange probably wont be done until 2026 with this states budget troubles.

The new railroad bridge is going to be huge. Its currently being assembled just west of the south bound lanes and the southbound on ramp.

The new railroad bridge is going to be huge. Its currently being assembled just west of the south bound lanes and the southbound on ramp.

I saw it this morning. That thing is indeed massive.

From today:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/i235062717a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/i235062717b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/i235062717c.jpg

Thanks for that. Puts things into perspective that aren't as obvious from below.

Yep, I saved those. Hopefully the other full closings will show off great updates. So glad you got the drone, Pete. Worthwhile business expense!

If you notice, the tracks south of the bridge over I-44, kinda shift slightly to the west like they were expecting this expansion all along.

Pete, once again, thank you so much for all of these photos. You are awesome!!!

I drove through here today bc I couldn't see the "massive" railroad bridge that other posters were talking about (in Pete's pics above) and BY GOD it is massive. Looks to be 40' tall...a rather large truss span bridge they're building NW of the old northbound 50th St. exit. When they get it together, it will be very interesting to see them put the monstrosity into place!

Been out of town since Father's Day came back and the railroad bridge is huge, any timeline when they expect to put it in place, any updates to its path? Is it going above or below the 50th street bridge?

If you look at Pete's drone shots, you can see where it will be placed--maybe 10-20 ft east of where the current track is

Considering how massive the bridge is, are they building it with room for one line or two? This would be the perfect time to create space for a future commuter rail line.

If you look at Pete's drone shots, you can see where it will be placed--maybe 10-20 ft east of where the current track is

I believe the space to the east is where the shoo fly will go in. The plans also only call for one track. 2 tracks wouldn't help any as you would then have to double the I-44 overpass.

The section you see is just one half of the total bridge. Its a lot longer.

I believe the space to the east is where the shoo fly will go in. The plans also only call for one track. 2 tracks wouldn't help any as you would then have to double the I-44 overpass.

I really don't think it will be a shoo-fly. They're moving a lot of dirt, and if you look at the alignment of the RR between the south and north sides of the bridge over I44 then you'll see that permanent "shoo-fly".

I really don't think it will be a shoo-fly. They're moving a lot of dirt, and if you look at the alignment of the RR between the south and north sides of the bridge over I44 then you'll see that permanent "shoo-fly".

The plans call for a shoo fly to the east. When that is in place, the existing overpass will be demolished and the new structure will be pushed into place. That is why the new bridge is being fabricated where it is. I have the link somewhere that shows the plans. I will dig it up and post it later. The jog you see on the I-44 overpass is because the "new" overpass was built to the east of the existing one.

I believe the space to the east is where the shoo fly will go in. The plans also only call for one track. 2 tracks wouldn't help any as you would then have to double the I-44 overpass.

Well, it would help in not having to also replace this new bridge too if we need to go double tracked.

Interstate construction advances; re-routes traffic

By: Brian Brus The Journal Record August 7, 2017

OKLAHOMA CITY – Construction on the widening of Interstate 235 north of downtown Oklahoma City is ahead of schedule and within budget, state Department of Transportation officials said.

Since the department launched the project a year ago, about 100,000 vehicles per day passing between NW 36th Street and the I-44 interchange have been shunted into other lanes or detours. The most disruptive change occurred when the old Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad bridge was taken down, sending traffic near the state Capitol on Lincoln Boulevard.

Regardless, department spokeswoman Lisa Shearer-Salim said Allen Contracting Inc. of Oklahoma City has pulled slightly ahead of schedule with an eye on a contractual bonus for early completion. The first phase of the $88 million project is expected to take two more years.

The federal government is paying for 90 percent of the current work, so it will not be affected by recent budget cuts from the state Legislature. In June, lawmakers decided to divert about $150 million in ODOT funding to help close a hole in next year’s budget. Agency officials warned that delays in the department’s eight-year construction plan are likely if those cuts hold. The department’s long-term scheduling and budgeting process will be complete in October.

Subsequent phases will cost about $97 million total. In 2019, I-235 will be reconstructed further north to NW 63rd Street. Also that year, flyover ramps and bridges will be built for northbound I-235 to westbound I-44 and eastbound I-44 to northbound Broadway Extension. And in 2020, westbound I-44 to northbound I-235 will be reconstructed.

Shearer-Salim said drivers should expect delays again when crews put the new BNSF bridge in place.

Railroad company representative Joe Sloan wrote in an email to The Journal Record that he was unaware of any effects on rail traffic through the area. Once the bridge is finished, BNSF crews will install track, he wrote. Until then, he deferred comment to ODOT.

“Trains pass through construction areas at reduced speeds for safety,” Sloan wrote. “This is done across the network in any area where crews are working near the tracks.”

"The most disruptive change occurred when the old Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad bridge was taken down, sending traffic near the state Capitol on Lincoln Boulevard."

I've been out of town 36 hours... they didn't remove the old BNSR RR bridge and put the new one in place in that time... ;)

I've been out of town 36 hours... they didn't remove the old BNSR RR bridge and put the new one in place in that time... ;)

This is why articles need to be reviewed before being posted. Dear Lord, just makes you wonder what they're smoking...

I see where they laid some asphalt today north of 50th street. Looks to be placed directly on soil though so it's probably another temporary stretch of roadway.

I'd love to see more drone shots of this. Been a lot of changes since June. I've noticed the new blacktop going in as well.

I'd love to see more drone shots of this. Been a lot of changes since June. I've noticed the new blacktop going in as well.

I'll try and get over there this weekend.

If you notice, the tracks south of the bridge over I-44, kinda shift slightly to the west like they were expecting this expansion all along.
That shift occurred when the new bridge over 244 was built east of the old main line alignment.

I see where they laid some asphalt today north of 50th street. Looks to be placed directly on soil though so it's probably another temporary stretch of roadway.
The BNSF is now laying down asphalt to stabilize the graded soil before laying the tracks, ties and gravel. This keeps the graded clay soil from rising up and contaminating the gravel from the weight of the train traffic. I think there will be a new mainline and bridge built that will be cut in to the existing track, and no shoo fly will be needed.

Asphalt is the first layer that gets put down and then a concrete surface is poured over that. I'm not sure if this is temporary asphalt though or the under layer of a permanent road. They will are going to start constructing a central pier to support the railroad bridge here soon and they have more piers to build for 50th street. Their might be several lane shifts while they build these piers.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/2350821117a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/2350821117b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/2350821117c.jpg

I passed through here last weekend after dark, coming back from having dinner in Edmond... I don't know who's idea it was to erect the solar streetlights in the work zone, but I really wish these were used more widely during construction on other projects. They are a really awesome idea and work quite well!

for the past several weeks i've been seeing the huge truss (in the first image, and the top right corner of the second image) and was wondering what it was for... is it meant to be moved into place as a temporary bridge for the railroad?

for the past several weeks i've been seeing the huge truss (in the first image, and the top right corner of the second image) and was wondering what it was for... is it meant to be moved into place as a temporary bridge for the railroad?

Nope. That's part of the new permanent bridge. The idea is, instead of building a temporary shoofly, they will install the new bridge first, and then shift rail traffic to it permanently, allowing the old bridge to be demolished. The new bridge will be substantially longer than the old one when complete to allow for the wider road surface.

https://youtu.be/eXEMQHuI9QY

I'm going to assume the bridge will be lifted the same way. They will just attach it to a trailer that pivots and drive it over and rotate it.

There's some information about the bridge in the business section of today's newspaper.

Asphalt is the first layer that gets put down and then a concrete surface is poured over that. I'm not sure if this is temporary asphalt though or the under layer of a permanent road. They will are going to start constructing a central pier to support the railroad bridge here soon and they have more piers to build for 50th street. Their might be several lane shifts while they build these piers.

My assumption is that it was temporary since I didn't see any ag base rock put underneath the asphalt. On the new pavement to the south of the railroad bridge they would put an ag base on top of the stabilized soil, then asphalt and then the concrete surface.

Thanks for the great pictures, and even has a BNSF grain train! Quite a project.

They moved SB traffic over to the new pavement on the far west side of the road. Also see where a lot of the new steel for the second segment of the rail bridge has arrived. Anyone have an idea when they're going to start building the middle pier for the new rail bridge?

They moved SB traffic over to the new pavement on the far west side of the road. Also see where a lot of the new steel for the second segment of the rail bridge has arrived. Anyone have an idea when they're going to start building the middle pier for the new rail bridge?

It doesn't look like they can keep two lanes of traffic in each direction open when they start building the middle pier since its so close to the existing bridge that is only wide enough for four lanes of traffic under normal conditions. Once they start, its going to be a nightmare so they probably want to make sure they have as much done related to the bridge before they start the central pier.

Are there plans to paint the bridge? It would be cool if we could let an artist do something. I think a sunrise color scheme on the north side (that people would see as they go to work) and a sunset color scheme on the south side (that people would see as they are leaving work) could be pretty cool. Does anyone else have any ideas or any insight as to what the current plans are?

Is there any timeline anywhere on this project? I know there is a ton of work ongoing, but it would be nice, for example, to know in advance when they plan on moving lanes over and such. It does look like the northbound lanes may move over to some new temporary pavement soon north of the railroad bridge.

Is there any timeline anywhere on this project? I know there is a ton of work ongoing, but it would be nice, for example, to know in advance when they plan on moving lanes over and such. It does look like the northbound lanes may move over to some new temporary pavement soon north of the railroad bridge.

You can bookmark this page:

https://www.ok.gov/odot/OFF_Broadway_and_I-235.html

And / or follow ODOT on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/OKDOT

They can finally start the central pier for the railroad bridge along with some of the piers for 50th street bridge and permanent center lanes. It will be awesome to see the bottleneck finally removed.

They can finally start the central pier for the railroad bridge along with some of the piers for 50th street bridge and permanent center lanes. It will be awesome to see the bottleneck finally removed.

Came here to mention that the piers are being built if someone hadn't already. That northbound laneshift is wicked - especially not fun in the dark!