Fetish. Love it. I'm surprised anyone would have Texas envy...unless you lived in Dallas for 6 years. You know who you are ;-)

Is the SW quadrant next?

The next project is to rebuild the 50th st and railroad bridges.

It's a monstrosity because the thing forks as it will be a bi-directional ramp (to the right, southbound, to the left, one of the two flyover ramps).I didn't catch that. What do you mean? Are you saying it is deceptive?

It is very long and large for a ramp. And it crosses a pretty good size valley/creek bed.It looks alright to me. I think they made it long so you can gain speed to merge on the highway at speed limit(of course no one in this city seems to understand that concept lol)

Fetish. Love it. I'm surprised anyone would have Texas envy...unless you lived in Dallas for 6 years. You know who you are ;-)

Texas cities - Dallas, Houston, and Austin are seeing explosive job growth, development, and population growth that OKC can currently only dream of. Texas does have its negatives especially for urbanists however. Their massive freeways promote major sprawl, but is OKC really that much different? Our urban, downtown community is still pretty small compared to the metro area as a whole. Texas has done a lot right which is why they are seeing the boom that they are seeing now. Don't take this post wrong; I am not saying that OKC isn't growing because it is, its just not growing at near the explosive rate Texas is.

It looks alright to me. I think they made it long so you can gain speed to merge on the highway at speed limit(of course no one in this city seems to understand that concept lol)
Isn't that the truth!! LOL!
"Now that I've pulled onto the interstate at 45 MPH and caused the multi car pileup, I'll stomp on the gas and blend in to the normal traffic," exclaims the evil villain!

Texas cities - Dallas, Houston, and Austin are seeing explosive job growth, development, and population growth that OKC can currently only dream of. Texas does have its negatives especially for urbanists however. Their massive freeways promote major sprawl, but is OKC really that much different? Our urban, downtown community is still pretty small compared to the metro area as a whole. Texas has done a lot right which is why they are seeing the boom that they are seeing now. Don't take this post wrong; I am not saying that OKC isn't growing because it is, its just not growing at near the explosive rate Texas is.

and that is FINE by me.

Had someone in my store this weekend for his son's wedding and he's a long time resident of Fort Worth and he believes the transportation infrastructure down there is horrendous. They may be way ahead of us but it's still bad he says. Probably due to the "explosive" job growth, which is why Texas just keeps building bigger and bigger.

Texas cities - Dallas, Houston, and Austin are seeing explosive job growth, development, and population growth that OKC can currently only dream of. Texas does have its negatives especially for urbanists however. Their massive freeways promote major sprawl, but is OKC really that much different? Our urban, downtown community is still pretty small compared to the metro area as a whole. Texas has done a lot right which is why they are seeing the boom that they are seeing now. Don't take this post wrong; I am not saying that OKC isn't growing because it is, its just not growing at near the explosive rate Texas is.

I wonder how rapidly they would grow if we ever saw another oil/gas price bust?

I wonder how rapidly they would grow if we ever saw another oil/gas price bust?Not sure about Houston, but Dallas has a fairly diverse economy and I believe Austin is the same as well.

I wonder how rapidly they would grow if we ever saw another oil/gas price bust?

Natural gas had it's own bust a few years ago

The ODOT eight year plan:

http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/cwp-8-year-plan/cwp_ffy2014-ffy2021/cwp_ffy2014-ffy2021_OCARTS.pdf

The ODOT eight year plan:

http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/cwp-8-year-plan/cwp_ffy2014-ffy2021/cwp_ffy2014-ffy2021_OCARTS.pdf

From the link:

I-235/I-44 Interchange
FFY 2015 Grade, Draining, Bridge & Surface $23,301,063
FFY 2015 Grade, Draining, Bridge & Surface $31,310,000
FFY 2015 Force Account $1,750,000
FFY 2018 Grade, Draining, Bridge & Surface $31,000,000
FFY 2019 Grade, Draining, Bridge & Surface $40,949,293
FFY 2019 Grade, Draining, Bridge & Surface $24,000,000
Total $152,310,356I

I would guess from all this that the first two will be the NE and SE quadrants, the 2018 would be the lower of the flyover ramps, the first 2019 would be the higher of the flyover ramps and the last one would be the widening and work on the southbound 235 with the cloverleafs of the west side.

Hopefully it will get moved up like the other projects.

Anyone else notice that they are paving with an asphalt on the new & almost complete EB I44 to SB I-235 in the SW corner of the quadrant?
Is this temporary? They moved and cleared a LOT of area to just have one asphalt lane going through there.
And they typically only use concrete on highway projects. Must be temporary, but why?

Anyone else notice that they are paving with an asphalt on the new & almost complete EB I44 to SB I-235 in the SW corner of the quadrant?
Is this temporary? They moved and cleared a LOT of area to just have one asphalt lane going through there.
And they typically only use concrete on highway projects. Must be temporary, but why?

I believe they lay asphalt down first and then place reinforcing bars down to then pour concrete over it to form the lane.

Yea I believe all major interstates are something along the lines of:

Compressed and rolled dirt/ground.
Stones/gravel bed compressed and rolled.
Asphalt poured and rolled.
Rebar structure with concrete pour.

Next you should see somethign along the lines of this:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/pubs/hif12039/images/fig_2.jpg

A square?

A square?

what?

what?

When I was reading this thread earlier, on my phone, your pic was just an outline, lol. I see it now (on an actual computer). :cool:

It may be asphalt where it merges with i-235 since it wont be exacty in that same spot when the interchange is widen and rebuilt.

It may be asphalt where it merges with i-235 since it wont be exacty in that same spot when the interchange is widen and rebuilt.

Like the temporary southbound ramp from NW 63rd that merges in with 235.

Like the temporary southbound ramp from NW 63rd that merges in with 235.

Correct. It will be temporary asphalt south from the Deep Fork Creek overpass to where it merges into southbound I235.

Correct. It will be temporary asphalt south from the Deep Fork Creek overpass to where it merges into southbound I235.

Yes, that wasn't a question. I was confirming the previous post ;-)

Has anyone heard an update on the Santa Fe bridge? It was included in the original proposal, but I haven't heard anything about it lately. Lackmeyer mentioned it Friday in his weekly chat, but wouldn't give details.

Has anyone heard an update on the Santa Fe bridge? It was included in the original proposal, but I haven't heard anything about it lately. Lackmeyer mentioned it Friday in his weekly chat, but wouldn't give details.

Probably just means you're going to have to wait til his piece comes out. Trust me, I'll be looking to read that article too. No clue why they took it out. To me, that's like wondering why NE 122nd doesn't go through between Kelly & Eastern or why Meridian doesn't go through between Memorial and NW 150th.

Probably because they didn't buy the right of way to put those roads through. The owner at the time probably wanted way more than the state/city/county thought it was worth.

Probably because they didn't buy the right of way to put those roads through. The owner at the time probably wanted way more than the state/city/county thought it was worth.

I had a conversation with one of the traffic engineers doing part of the design 6-10 months ago. She said that ODOT was being kind of neurotic about it and couldn't seem to make up their mind. She wasn't sure why, but theorized they wanted to save the money for something else.

Maybe they are saving for our first 4 stack interchange? lol

I had a conversation with one of the traffic engineers doing part of the design 6-10 months ago. She said that ODOT was being kind of neurotic about it and couldn't seem to make up their mind. She wasn't sure why, but theorized they wanted to save the money for something else.

ODOT always needs money, but this interchange is federally funded. Including the SF bridge would make it federally funded, but this is the ONLY time to include it. I'm shocked that communities around western haven't been more up in arms. The traffic jams along western are primarily due to the fact there is no other route. A driver would have to take Penn or Kelly.

ODOT always needs money, but this interchange is federally funded. Including the SF bridge would make it federally funded, but this is the ONLY time to include it. I'm shocked that communities around western haven't been more up in arms. The traffic jams along western are primarily due to the fact there is no other route. A driver would have to take Penn or Kelly.

The way the area has developed if you are a resident going to a destination near enough to the eventual Santa Fe bridge to use it, you would probably be going over to Western or Kelly anyway. Trips further you would probably get on the interstate.

Plus at least half of the people closest are in the apartments, which generally means less care about the long term infrastructure of the area

The way the area has developed if you are a resident going to a destination near enough to the eventual Santa Fe bridge to use it, you would probably be going over to Western or Kelly anyway. Trips further you would probably get on the interstate.

Plus at least half of the people closest are in the apartments, which generally means less care about the long term infrastructure of the area

Everyone trying to get home in the snow last night thought it was a great idea to take western. It too me 30 minutes to get over I-44 on western. I and half of Edmond would have taken a Santa Fe bridge in a heartbeat.

I noticed yesterday that they've started dismantling the concrete barriers along EB I-44 approaching the new off-ramp. Must be getting close to completion.

I noticed yesterday that they've started dismantling the concrete barriers along EB I-44 approaching the new off-ramp. Must be getting close to completion.

Yes, I noticed that too.
What phase is scheduled next?

Yes, I noticed that too.
What phase is scheduled next?

I would guess the Southeast quadrant but from ODOT's 8 year plan, it is not scheduled until 2015. I could see it getting moved up to this year and the Northeast quadrant being done in 2015.

Yes, I noticed that too.
What phase is scheduled next?

I was thinking that since the traffic will be transferring over to the new ramp, they'd be able to tear out the old eastbound to southbound ramp to make room for a wider and larger southbound to eastbound cloverleaf and then have room for the columns that will be used as supports for the eastbound to northbound flyover ramp (which they would only build out after working on the northeast quadrant which the flyover would connect to).

I would guess the Southeast quadrant but from ODOT's 8 year plan, it is not scheduled until 2015. I could see it getting moved up to this year and the Northeast quadrant being done in 2015.

The 50th St and railroad bridges over I-235 are next. After that, the widening of I-235 around 50th street is up.

I still think Odot needs to do it the Texas/Californian way, especially with cheap interest rates right now. This whole thing could be done by the end of the year. I've wondered what the cost would be if they finished this project in 12 months, doing multiple sections at once. Perhaps the city of Edmond should chip in a few million since this is pretty much "the main Edmond highway" from downtown OKC, this wont probably happen though, completion will be 2018 or so.

I agree. I really wish ODOT would just borrow money. Things would get done so much faster. The 2.7 billion dollar LBJ project will paid off in 5 years.

New Year, New Ramp; I-44 Ramp Project to open Saturday months ahead of schedule | KFOR.com (http://kfor.com/2014/01/16/new-year-new-ramp-i-44-ramp-project-to-open-saturday-months-ahead-of-schedule/)


The new eastbound I-44 ramp to southbound I-235 is scheduled to open Saturday, nearly three months ahead of schedule.
In addition, the eastbound I-44 on-ramp from Western Ave. which had been closed as part of the project, will reopen Saturday also.

Why is a picture of I-40 EB in an article about the I-44 / I-235 interchange?

Why is a picture of I-40 EB in a article about an I-44 / I-235 interchange?

Well, a freeway is a freeway no matter where it's located isn't it? ;)

Well, a freeway is a freeway no matter where it's located isn't it? ;)

Touché.

I still think Odot needs to do it the Texas/Californian way, especially with cheap interest rates right now. This whole thing could be done by the end of the year. I've wondered what the cost would be if they finished this project in 12 months, doing multiple sections at once. Perhaps the city of Edmond should chip in a few million since this is pretty much "the main Edmond highway" from downtown OKC, this wont probably happen though, completion will be 2018 or so.

I had a discussion on this topic with my State Representative. There was a movement in the House to take advantage of the incredibly low interest rates and issue bonds but it was squashed by Speaker Shannon and the rest of that group. Even Governor Fallin has said she prefers a bond issue for certain infrastructure needs to the Speaker's insistence on pay as you go approach given the current interest rates. I agree this is a time where using debt makes sense but unfortunately I am doubtful it will happen because of the simplistic mindset of a large part of the legislature.

I had a discussion on this topic with my State Representative. There was a movement in the House to take advantage of the incredibly low interest rates and issue bonds but it was squashed by Speaker Shannon and the rest of that group. Even Governor Fallin has said she prefers a bond issue for certain infrastructure needs to the Speaker's insistence on pay as you go approach given the current interest rates. I agree this is a time where using debt makes sense but unfortunately I am doubtful it will happen because of the simplistic mindset of a large part of the legislature.

I swear, Shannon is such a short-sighted jackwagon.

To be clear, the discussion was not about this project specifically but more about why we aren't making judicial use of debt when it makes financial sense to do so for state infrastructure overall.

But this project certainly seems to be a very good candidate simply to reduce the disruption time.

To be clear, the discussion was not about this project specifically but more about why we aren't making judicial use of debt when it makes financial sense to do so for state infrastructure overall.

But this project certainly seems to be a very good candidate simply to reduce the disruption time.

With this project not being planned to finish until 2024 (according to ODOT's spokeman), it seems like a prime example of when judicial use of debt would make absolute sense. Just my frustration with Shannon's obstructionism of solid ideas purely because it may mean some state debt. What's the point of finishing the last phase of a project at the same the initial phase will need to be repaired again? It's a never ending cycle.

New ramp at I-235 and I-44 to open in Oklahoma City | News OK (http://newsok.com/new-ramp-at-i-235-and-i-44-to-open-in-oklahoma-city/article/3924767)

BTW, does anyone know specifically who to write to ask about future funding methods for these sorts of projects..

New ramp looked to be running smoothly. Won't know about traffic jam relief until tomorrow. Today was holiday, so many people were not attending work.

Has they reopened the eastbound I-44 onramp near McGuinness High School?

Is there a reason people in this city need to slow down to 35 mph when navigating this intersection - particularly when on 235N? Unbelievable. Have never had to weave in/out of traffic as much as I do here, just to go the speed limit!

Is there a reason people in this city need to slow down to 35 mph when navigating this intersection - particularly when on 235N? Unbelievable. Have never had to weave in/out of traffic as much as I do here, just to go the speed limit!

They do it because it's known as a bottleneck...three lanes on each side squeezed down to two. Add very small cloverleaf on and off ramps to the equation and that's why it's traversed at a slower rate.

Not to mention it is like driving across the moon. Those potholes are deadly.

New ramp at I-235 and I-44 to open in Oklahoma City | News OK (http://newsok.com/new-ramp-at-i-235-and-i-44-to-open-in-oklahoma-city/article/3924767)

BTW, does anyone know specifically who to write to ask about future funding methods for these sorts of projects..

You could easily fund state road projects just by bringing back the state inspection program.

You could easily fund state road projects just by bringing back the state inspection program.

The entire amount collected would only be enough for OKC to rehab a one of a standard exit's overpass, not even close to enough to pay for the state's portion of a major interchange. Besides the money never went to roads, the bulk went to the inspectors, the remaining 10%-ish went to replace highway patrol vehicles and officers pensions. Also, I think they offset the money not collected from annual inspections by raising the price of car tags when they did away with it.

After about a week of the new ramp being open.

I will say that the M-F morning traffic jam (SB 235) has improved slightly, but at most by only a handful of minutes.

After about a week of the new ramp being open.

I will say that the M-F morning traffic jam (SB 235) has improved slightly, but at most by only a handful of minutes.just wait until the whole thing is done. Oh, that will be in ten years when it will need widened again.... Nevermind! :)

just wait until the whole thing is done. Oh, that will be in ten years when it will need widened again.... Nevermind! :)

Three lanes X 2 tends to do it here for just about any highway through the metro...

You could easily fund state road projects just by bringing back the state inspection program.

Thank your lucky stars we don't live in a State with smog nazis. And if you brought it back I doubt the inspection fees would even pay for the cost of doing inspections, let alone fund road projects.

Three lanes X 2 tends to do it here for just about any highway through the metro...Today it does.

Today it does.

Some argue there comes a point where more lanes doesn't really help and that interchange design makes all the difference. Cloverleaf's were bad designs way back in the 1960's when they were first built. A hybrid cloverleaf/stacked interchange design isn't really a great design, but at least its something.