this is not really new but i didn't find a thread about it ... i believe that a 10th st exit was promised to St Anthony a while ago and ODOT says that harrison and 10th are too close together to have both exits open.

thoughts ..

GRADE, DRAIN & SURFACE
I-235/HARRISON AVE. NORTH BOUND OFF RAMP RELOCATION TO 10TH STREET
23660(04) FFY 2011 IN OKLAHOMA CITY (DEMO = OK027)
OKLAHOMA Div. 4 IS235 0.200 Mi. Let 07/2011 $816,200

I understand why they're doing this, but they really will need to do something about quick and direct access to Research Park from 235.

Do we know when they are planning to make this change ? For those trying to get downtown this is very inconvenient? And what about access to I-235 from 6th Street, is that closing as well ???

Do we know when they are planning to make this change ? For those trying to get downtown this is very inconvenient? And what about access to I-235 from 6th Street, is that closing as well ???

it says the project is let for bit in July of this year which means that it will happen in the 3rd Q

there has never been access to I-235 from 6th St but the I-235 ramps on 5th street will not be affected

GRADE, DRAIN & SURFACE
I-235/HARRISON AVE. NORTH BOUND OFF RAMP RELOCATION TO 10TH STREET
23660(04) FFY 2012 IN OKLAHOMA CITY
OKLAHOMA Div. 4 IS235 0.200 Mi. Let 07/2012 $3,320,603


this project got pushed back from last year but should be a go this summer

It seems like the simplest thing to do would just be to tie it into where Walnut is on the east side of 235, then widen it.

This restricts access to Deep Deuce, but improves access to Automobile Alley and Midtown. I suppose Deep Deuce is more ready to stand on its own with reduced freeway access anyway, as compared to AA and Midtown. Additionally, there is still the southbound Walnut exit.

It seems like the simplest thing to do would just be to tie it into where Walnut is on the east side of 235, then widen it.

This restricts access to Deep Deuce, but improves access to Automobile Alley and Midtown. I suppose Deep Deuce is more ready to stand on its own with reduced freeway access anyway, as compared to AA and Midtown. Additionally, there is still the southbound Walnut exit.

and coming north bound you can exit sheridan and get to deep deuce that way

is this still happening for sure? I really hope not!

is this still happening for sure? I really hope not!

It is in ODOTs budget to start this fiscal year.

What puzzles me is how this got ahead of doing something with the southbound in that area, as long as they are cutting it to two lanes going southbound, it is going to continue to be one of if not the worst places the freeway jams (especially after the i235/i44 juncture is completed).

It is in ODOTs budget to start this fiscal year.

What puzzles me is how this got ahead of doing something with the southbound in that area, as long as they are cutting it to two lanes going southbound, it is going to continue to be one of if not the worst places the freeway jams (especially after the i235/i44 juncture is completed).

This was done to help keep St. Anthony's from moving out of central OKC. IMHO, a great move.

Are there any plans out there for this?

Haven't seen any. FWIW:

http://newsok.com/nw-10-exit-ramp-redesign-along-interstate-235-draws-concerns-about-pedestrian-access-development-impact-in-oklahoma-city/article/3693610

Steve, are they planning on widening the NW 10th bridge to accommodate a Texas turnaround? It would necessitate a different structural type unless they plan on closing I-235 for falsework.

Is there a diagram somewhere of what the revisions would look like? I'm having trouble visualizing how this would all work out.

I am also quite interested in this project as it will make it much easier to explain how to get to our office at 9th and Robinson for people coming from the south. I read the article that Steve wrote in the paper this morning and I cannot see how this is going to be done anytime soon.

I PM'd Steve about a rendering. He said he has one but it's not the greatest. Either way, I hope he'll post it on here.

also of note is that the state has spend over 500k on the design of this new exit ramp

I was just reading the thread about the I-235/I-44 interchange, so forgive my frustrated response, but what in the hell is wrong with our transportation department?

Boulder, do you happen to have a rendering of the proposed changes that you could post for us?

Boulder, do you happen to have a rendering of the proposed changes that you could post for us?

i don't i tweeted steve to ask him if he would post one here on on his blog ...

Boulder, do you happen to have a rendering of the proposed changes that you could post for us?

Please note post #15...smh

Please note post #15...smh

I missed your reply. My bad. You can quit shaking your head now.

You can quit shaking your head now.

Wheew, thanks. My neck was starting to hurt! ;-)

I was just reading the thread about the I-235/I-44 interchange, so forgive my frustrated response, but what in the hell is wrong with our transportation department?
Honestly I think it rests with the head of the department (Gary Ridley) who has shown himself to be rather untruthful, uses scare tactics etc. Yet for some unknown reason even when governors change, they keep him on...they need some fresh blood in there...he should have been replaced decades ago

steve?? pic of design??

Honestly I think it rests with the head of the department (Gary Ridley) who has shown himself to be rather untruthful, uses scare tactics etc. Yet for some unknown reason even when governors change, they keep him on...they need some fresh blood in there...he should have been replaced decades ago

He's barely been there a decade at all. Oh and he's tripled or quadrupled ODOT's budget in a time of economic struggle.

He's barely been there a decade at all. Oh and he's tripled or quadrupled ODOT's budget in a time of economic struggle.

Did you include the massively over budget new I-40 in your calculation? And what do we have to show for that increased budget? The same poorly constructed roads, crumbling bridges, and a transportation department that doesn't seem to realize there are ways other than highways to move people and goods. Instead of laying down more lanes of highway, why not maintain what we have to an acceptable standard and begin to invest in other transportation infrastructure in the state? We have created an unsustainable transportation infrastructure simply because too many people in government are tied to concrete and asphalt special interests. Just because it has always been done a certain way doesn't mean it should continue to be done that way.

He's barely been there a decade at all. Oh and he's tripled or quadrupled ODOT's budget in a time of economic struggle.
You are right to a point (and I honestly include his predecessor, Neal McCaleb, as part of the same on-gong problem). And it depends on when you start counting I guess...from ODOT's site:
Longtime transportation executive Gary Ridley was named Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in August, 2001. Ridley’s journey up through the ranks provided him with first-hand insights into the whole spectrum of department operations. His ODOT service dates back to 1965, when he joined the department as an equipment operator. He moved up to maintenance superintendent at Kingfisher in 1970 and traffic superintendent at Perry in 1979. In 1983 he became field maintenance engineer at Perry, then advanced to Division Five Maintenance Engineer at Clinton in 1986. He became Division Engineer at Clinton in 1995. He left ODOT in 1997 to become executive director of the Oklahoma Asphalt Paving Association. He returned to the department in January 2001 as Assistant Director for Operations.

He [Ridley] left ODOT in 1997 to become executive director of the Oklahoma Asphalt Paving Association. He returned to the department in January 2001 as Assistant Director for Operations.

SMH. Tell me again, that ODOT can focus on more than just highways.

The Harrison St. closing does not sound good for ACCESS to downtown OKC. Increasing the size of 10th St. will not solve the problems 10th does not have much flow capacity. Currently Harrison st. operates as a fast way to get downtown. What are the powers that be smoking?

...especially since 10th doesn't have an underpass at the railroad tracks. -M

We still don't have a picture of what the proposed changes look like. Does anyone else besides Steve have a rendering??

...especially since 10th doesn't have an underpass at the railroad tracks. -M

THIS!!! WTF - closing Harrison is a TERRIBLE idea.

The Harrison St. closing does not sound good for ACCESS to downtown OKC. Increasing the size of 10th St. will not solve the problems 10th does not have much flow capacity. Currently Harrison st. operates as a fast way to get downtown. What are the powers that be smoking?

going south you can still exit 235 on walnut ... and going north you can exit on sheridan ...

Did anyone ever get a look at how the new ramp is supposed to look?

There is a drawing of the proposed exit ramp in the October OCURA agenda packet.

There is a drawing of the proposed exit ramp in the October OCURA agenda packet.

the new exit design is a win win IMHO ... it gives the access to 10th street ... but it includes a wider loop back to harrison

the 10th street exit meets 10th where the existing Walnut ave intersection is located

the loop back to harrison connect to the existing walnut just south of central ave

walnut north bound would be rerouted to connect to 10th at central and be 1 way ..

this IMHO is a very good option .... hopefully pete can grab the image and post it in this thread it is agenda item 10 and on page 56 of the packet

Here is the image from the OCURA packet:



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/10th.jpg

Yeah, that looks nice and easily readable too ;-)

So what's the big deal? There's still access to Harrison, but we also get southbound 10th street access. The only thing this does is make one of my backup exits from downtown a bit more convoluted. Looks like a good idea to me.

So what's the big deal? There's still access to Harrison, but we also get southbound 10th street access. The only thing this does is make one of my backup exits from downtown a bit more convoluted. Looks like a good idea to me.

originally the loop back to Harrison didn't exist

This does not look as if it should disrupt traffic on northbound I-235 during construction.

with the loop back to harrison, i guess i'm ok with this... however, i'm not sure why we're spending what probably amounts to a few million just so folks don't have to make an easy u-turn from the existing loop onto walnut in order to get to 10th street. -M

with the loop back to harrison, i guess i'm ok with this... however, i'm not sure why we're spending what probably amounts to a few million just so folks don't have to make an easy u-turn from the existing loop onto walnut in order to get to 10th street. -M

it was part of the deal to keep st Anthony in midtown

it was part of the deal to keep st Anthony in midtown

that makes sense... still seems wasteful to me, though. -M

that makes sense... still seems wasteful to me, though. -M

Whew! After seeing the design, much relieved. I actually use the "Harrison" exit to take 6th street west to Robinson where I work. Now, what I really don't understand is why St. Anthony's thinks this is going to be useful at all. If you exit on 10th and get stuck at the train, or take an ambulance over those tracks, the patient is likely to hit the roof, or be stuck there for a LONG time!

Any plans to put up more signage along 5th street, letting drivers know that it is a ONE WAY street between Oklahoma/Harrison and Broadway?!?

I love the driving challenge but it is getting old dodging vehicles to avoid the head on collision. I dodged 3 cars this morning that had no clue they were driving the wrong way, of course one guy was texting while driving too.

Why don't they convert 5th to two-way traffic, at least west from Oklahoma Ave?

Anyone know when this is due to begin?

Anyone know when this is due to begin?

No, but I did see survey stakes in the area recently... Possibly related.

this has moved to 2015 on the new 8 year plan .. fully funded .. to be let 1/2015

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

I-235/Harrison Ave. NB Off Ramp to 10th St.
FFY 2015 Grade, Drain & Surface $2,750,000

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

I-235/Harrison Ave. NB Off Ramp to 10th St.
FFY 2015 Grade, Drain & Surface $2,750,000

Hmm, I thought they'd have this done by now.

Hmm, I thought they'd have this done by now.

I may be wrong, but I think the States 2015 fiscal year starts in July of 2014......

I may be wrong, but I think the States 2015 fiscal year starts in July of 2014......

Yeah, I thought about that right after I submitted the post. Of course, I doubt it actually starts in July, but we'll see.

No matter, I welcome the project.

I may be wrong, but I think the States 2015 fiscal year starts in July of 2014......

Oklahoma's fiscal year runs from July - June. The Federal fiscal year runs from October - September. If ODOT's plan is followed, it would be October 2014 before work gets started (FFY means Federal Fiscal Year)

Looks like whatever was proposed at this site will have to be modified to accommodate the GE development.

Looks like whatever was proposed at this site will have to be modified to accommodate the GE development.

At the top of the GE thread, the 5th image already shows the new ramp so the accommodations are already there with regard to the new ramp.

At the top of the GE thread, the 5th image already shows the new ramp so the accommodations are already there with regard to the new ramp.

Missed that one; thanks.

FYI this weekend I exited on 6th/Harrison and saw that the 10th street option was open/available so I took it...

FYI this weekend I exited on 6th/Harrison and saw that the 10th street option was open/available so I took it...

As did I. No fanfare on that...

Did it feel kind of tight to you?