Forcing at least 2 large companies to move their HQs is a great look for Oklahoma and OKC, amirite?

Sorry, which two large companies?

Sorry, which two large companies?

FSB and Kirkpatrick Bank. In the Paragon Building.

FSB and Kirkpatrick Bank. In the Paragon Building.
These aren’t big companies. They may not be insignificant, but they aren’t even the building owners. And it isn’t even Kirkpatrick Bank’s main bank.

Bigger and better need.

Actually, I've taken those clover leafs more often than I ever thought I would and they function quite well. The way they have the SB mainline moved over and the entrance/exit ramps in their own lanes of traffic makes the clover leafs work really well. Granted I think it'd be more fun to have flyovers, but really they are functional.

I hate cloverleafs almost as much as PluPan, but I agree with you. Separating them made a huge difference.

The worst part of this interchange is that when taking the flyover from NB 235 to WB 44, there is still a very short distance to merge. What is the point of removing the cloverleaf and adding the flyover if you are still going to give drivers the same inadequate amount of time to merge. I will never understand some of the decisions ODOT makes with these projects.

the next flyover that's needed is EB I-44 to SB I-235 Downtown. This would have been a no-brainer in any other state as you're offering a real bypass for I-35/I-44 traffic direct to I-35S at the Crossroads of America junction and a real direct to Downtown. It's ok as a cloverleaf but not really a modern connection that we'll likely need to fund in 10-years anyway.

Another missed opportunity is connecting Santa Fe, not sure why this was dropped but really would have made sense, esp with the growth of the east side of I-235/Broadway Extension, would have been a direct connection to the rest of the central city without having to get on the freeway itself.

If you're going to do something, do it right the first time. That's my advise to ODOT and OKC-Transportation.

the next flyover that's needed is EB I-44 to SB I-235 Downtown. This would have been a no-brainer in any other state as you're offering a real bypass for I-35/I-44 traffic direct to I-35S at the Crossroads of America junction and a real direct to Downtown. It's ok as a cloverleaf but not really a modern connection that we'll likely need to fund in 10-years anyway.

Another missed opportunity is connecting Santa Fe, not sure why this was dropped but really would have made sense, esp with the growth of the east side of I-235/Broadway Extension, would have been a direct connection to the rest of the central city without having to get on the freeway itself.

If you're going to do something, do it right the first time. That's my advise to ODOT and OKC-Transportation.

That seems to be a consistent theme with ODOT, they lack forethought and move as a snail's pace.

That seems to be a consistent theme with ODOT, they lack forethought and move as a snail's pace.

It all comes down to funding. They can plan to build 10 lanes everywhere and stacked interchanges, but literally nothing would get done due to lack of funding. So they have to settle for smaller less ambitions projects that are divided up into 5 smaller sub projects.

the next flyover that's needed is EB I-44 to SB I-235 Downtown.

Did you mean WB 44? The ramp from EB 44 to SB 235 was the second ramp built.

yes, ty

The next phase of this project is out for bid:

Is there still no plan to connect Santa Fe?

This map shows it connecting 50th and 63rd, but not as part of the projects that are out for bid (if I'm reading it correctly).

I'm no civil engineer, but it seems if the goal is to alleviate traffic in the interchange, Santa Fe could be a good way to get some local traffic out of it. As it is now, if you're going north / south from 50th to 63rd on Santa Fe, or going to / from the north end of Lincoln, the options are to use the interchange or go 2-3 miles out of the way on Kelly or Western, which routes you through several more intersections. I'm sure most of that traffic ends up going through the interchange.

Is there still no plan to connect Santa Fe?

This map shows it connecting 50th and 63rd, but not as part of the projects that are out for bid (if I'm reading it correctly).

I'm no civil engineer, but it seems if the goal is to alleviate traffic in the interchange, Santa Fe could be a good way to get some local traffic out of it. As it is now, if you're going north / south from 50th to 63rd on Santa Fe, or going to / from the north end of Lincoln, the options are to use the interchange or go 2-3 miles out of the way on Kelly or Western, which routes you through several more intersections. I'm sure most of that traffic ends up going through the interchange.

nope the sante fe bridge was cut from this project a long time ago

nope the sante fe bridge was cut from this project a long time ago

And I guess this shows them extending the north end of it south and moving the south end of that east. And then connecting it to the service road?

ODOT really doesn't consider local traffic much.

ODOT really doesn't consider local traffic much.

Actually, the city has representatives that sit in on this stuff that ODOT does when projects are in city limits. How those meetings go, however, I can't tell you. There have been contracts in the past were localities will chip in some for some extra stuff. I'm sure Santa Fe was viewed by ODOT as an OKC arterial and didn't want to incur the cost since it's not an ODOT part, but they would work something out with the city if they really wanted it to be part of the contract.

I’m just not sure there’s enough thru traffic on Santa Fe to justify the 50th/63rd connection. I work for one of the companies in the large industrial area bounded by 23rd, Lincoln, I-235, and I-44 so I’m using these roads all the time and they’re never particularly busy.

I'm sure Santa Fe was viewed by ODOT as an OKC arterial and didn't want to incur the cost since it's not an ODOT part, but they would work something out with the city if they really wanted it to be part of the contract.

That makes sense. And I imagine it would be a pretty big project for OKC to do on it's own. I mean, we got a lot of potholes to fill.

I’m just not sure there’s enough thru traffic on Santa Fe to justify the 50th/63rd connection. I work for one of the companies in the large industrial area bounded by 23rd, Lincoln, I-235, and I-44 so I’m using these roads all the time and they’re never particularly busy.

I just kind of assume that's because it doesn't really go anywhere. That stretch is just 23rd to 50th. Cutting it off at 50th for I-44 probably made it what it is today. Making the connection would probably increase the traffic, but I imagine your company and those around it like it as is for that very reason. So, there's probably not much push to connect it, anyway.

I’m just not sure there’s enough thru traffic on Santa Fe to justify the 50th/63rd connection. I work for one of the companies in the large industrial area bounded by 23rd, Lincoln, I-235, and I-44 so I’m using these roads all the time and they’re never particularly busy.

About the only time I go down that stretch of road is when I go to Bob Howard PDC at 36th & Santa Fe. And Santa Fe in that area is 2 lane black top with no curbs and bar ditches on either side. That tells me there is a lot of money that has to be spent after the multi-million dollar bridge would be built. And the businesses south of 50th are geared to heavy truck traffic in such a manner that 4 lanes and commuter cars are a negative.

Anyone know why they are moving dirt in the area NE of this interchange. It got my attention because they are once again mowing down huge, old-growth trees there! Hate that.

^

That property is zoned commercial but I can't find any permits or planning docs.

There is still one more project scheduled for that corner that involves an overpass structure for Lincoln Blvd to I-44 westbound. It may be prep work for that.

Anyone know why they are moving dirt in the area NE of this interchange. It got my attention because they are once again mowing down huge, old-growth trees there! Hate that.

I was assuming that new stuff was for the Canyon Park trail.

There is still one more project scheduled for that corner that involves an overpass structure for Lincoln Blvd to I-44 westbound. It may be prep work for that.

I’m pretty sure it’s this because I noticed a sign on Lincoln north of 50th that the WB I-44 entrance is going to be closed as of Sunday.

I was assuming that new stuff was for the Canyon Park trail.
There is another phase of this interchange revamp scheduled for construction which I believe has already been put to bid. Boulder Sooner seems to keep up with this maybe he can chime in as well. That would be on the NE side of this interchange. It includes a direct connection from N Lincoln BLVD to N Broadway Ext. without having to get onto I-44.

There is also the walking/biking trail but that is directly to the south. There is also a master planned commercial project a bit more to the east.

I’m pretty sure it’s this because I noticed a sign on Lincoln north of 50th that the WB I-44 entrance is going to be closed as of Sunday.

Drove by today. This is related to the interchange. I guess it was already awarded a few months back.

Several of the light towers in the area still do not work-even though OG&E and Action Center were contacted 6 months ago.

There is another phase of this interchange revamp scheduled for construction which I believe has already been put to bid. Boulder Sooner seems to keep up with this maybe he can chime in as well. That would be on the NE side of this interchange. It includes a direct connection from N Lincoln BLVD to N Broadway Ext. without having to get onto I-44.

There is also the walking/biking trail but that is directly to the south. There is also a master planned commercial project a bit more to the east.

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=24127&p=1220805#post1220805

pete has an image here

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=24127&p=1220805#post1220805

pete has an image here
I wonder if at some point in the future if demand warrants they could build the Santa Fe bridge without have to do any major redesigns of the freeway to accommodate it.

I drove back from Tulsa today and noticed how rough I-44 is to the east and west of the interchange, mostly due to the years of wear and tear, I am guessing. Is there any plan to resurface I-44 once the other projects are completed?

Not a great photo but provides some visual; you can also see the bike trail going in:

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/23544052623a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/i44071523a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/23544010424a.jpg

Took Lincoln Blvd to 44 west for the first time this weekend. Glad to see this wrapping up.

Took Lincoln Blvd to 44 west for the first time this weekend. Glad to see this wrapping up.

Right now it is totally confusing how to get from 44 to go north, especially at night. Will be glad for signs and markings.

Did this interchange finish already? Would like to see some pictures.
I mean the Lincoln Blvd connection update.

Did this interchange finish already? Would like to see some pictures.
I mean the Lincoln Blvd connection update.

I don't think it is fully finished, but the ways of going in certain directions are there. They are just buttoning it up, finishing some concrete barriers and more paving and then should be done. Not sure if they are going to start on the resurfacing of 44 next or if there was another project in front of it.

Took Lincoln Blvd to 44 west for the first time this weekend. Glad to see this wrapping up.

I took the new Lincoln-to-I44 west ramp yesterday for the first time, and no, they’re not finished yet, but it did make getting on I44 a lot easier.

I took the new Lincoln-to-I44 west ramp yesterday for the first time, and no, they’re not finished yet, but it did make getting on I44 a lot easier.

Yeah, they aren't finished and I would guess they have around six months of work left, give or take. And that doesn't include resurfacing of 44.

What resurfacing are they doing? I thought ScottK or someone mentioned earlier in this thread they weren't doing any work on I-44 as part of this project...? I could also be completely misremembering.

What resurfacing are they doing? I thought ScottK or someone mentioned earlier in this thread they weren't doing any work on I-44 as part of this project...? I could also be completely misremembering.

I thought I read that I-44 was going to be resurfaced from Lincoln to Western. Like you, I might be misremembering as well.

I thought I read that I-44 was going to be resurfaced from Lincoln to Western. Like you, I might be misremembering as well.

The mainline was just replaced a few years ago, and probably should not need touched for a long time. They might be resurfacing some of 'I-44 service road' in that area, granted the location is a bit off, since the area east of Lincoln is what might be resurfaced, what is west of Lincoln is being shifted like 100ft north to give the ramps more space.

The mainline was just replaced a few years ago, and probably should not need touched for a long time. They might be resurfacing some of 'I-44 service road' in that area, granted the location is a bit off, since the area east of Lincoln is what might be resurfaced, what is west of Lincoln is being shifted like 100ft north to give the ramps more space.

No, the I44 pavement is original from the 80's and is in dire need of replacement. I had hoped they would do that in this project but all that was done was some merge lane rebuilds.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/lincoln090824a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/lincoln090824b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/lincoln090824c.jpg

Nice shots! It’s fun driving through there!

I wonder what the thinking is behind the cul de sac turnaround on the frontage road?

I wonder what the thinking is behind the cul de sac turnaround on the frontage road?

That's Santa Fe and there was a plan a long time ago to build a bridge over I-44 and connect with Santa Fe on the south side of the interstate.

That seems dead but I suppose it could be revived at a later date. In the meantime, it serves as a turnaround for emergency vehicles.

That's Santa Fe and there was a plan a long time ago to build a bridge over I-44 and connect with Santa Fe on the south side of the interstate.

That seems dead but I suppose it could be revived at a later date. In the meantime, it serves as a turnaround for emergency vehicles.
Hopefully that is the case, and they don’t allow private development on it, which would prohibit that bridge to be built in the future.

It really is a shame we didn't get that Santa Fe bridge, it would have been nice for reconnecting local traffic.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/lincoln090824a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/lincoln090824b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/lincoln090824c.jpg

Bringing this forward.

It really is a shame we didn't get that Santa Fe bridge, it would have been nice for reconnecting local traffic.
Hopefully it gets built in the future.

I wonder if they're ever going to fix the streetlights through here... they worked for a little bit after the interchange opened and have been dead ever since. Only a couple of the tower lights work, that's all. 90% of the lights have been out for over a year now.

I wonder if they're ever going to fix the streetlights through here... they worked for a little bit after the interchange opened and have been dead ever since. Only a couple of the tower lights work, that's all. 90% of the lights have been out for over a year now.

Have you reported them through the Action Center?

Have you reported them through the Action Center?

No I didn't know such a thing existed. Thanks for the info. Although with as long as they've been out, surely someone with authority over them has noticed.

No I didn't know such a thing existed. Thanks for the info. Although with as long as they've been out, surely someone with authority over them has noticed.

Ah, gotcha. Yeah, there's a loooooooong history of OG&E/OKC passing the buck on lights in locations like this (for a decade, at least), and they finally agreed that any lights out on highways could still be reported through the Action Center and they'd pass it on to OG&E. You can find the Action Center here, they're pretty responsive - https://www.okc.gov/residents/action-center/report

And yes, for *years* we've wondered why OKC workers just don't report lights out when they're out there doing their jobs ("Not my job", I'm guessing) or they don't just have somebody drive through the city and drop pins on a map when they see lights out. Just one more fail in the beautification/maintenance history of OKC.

This interchange is still a construction zone.

I still can't believe they worked on this interchange for nearly a decade, only for the merge area from NB 235 --> WB 44 to be approximately 100 feet in length. Still an improvement over the cloverleaf, but ultimately feels like a letdown.

I still can't believe they worked on this interchange for nearly a decade, only for the merge area from NB 235 --> WB 44 to be approximately 100 feet in length. Still an improvement over the cloverleaf, but ultimately feels like a letdown.

Too lazy to look up my post but I was upset 6 or 7 years ago about this exact thing.

Plus the SB 235 to WB 44 ramp (the first stage built) is already falling apart and has done so for at least 5 years. ODOT fixed some of the issues but the vertical cracks are still there.

Too lazy to look up my post but I was upset 6 or 7 years ago about this exact thing.

Plus the SB 235 to WB 44 ramp (the first stage built) is already falling apart and has done so for at least 5 years. ODOT fixed some of the issues but the vertical cracks are still there.

The cross merge area on the new Lincoln connector where you choose to go WB44 or NB235 is also woefully short. Going to be a problem in high traffic times.