The whining about Western access is the most annoying arguments of them all. One way or another there is going to be another path to Reno and Sheridan less than six months from now and there will also be a path from Sheridan to westbound I-40. The horror of having to to go through a few stoplights along Reno and Sheridan. lol

What happens in less than 6 months? Do tell...

What happens in less than 6 months? Do tell...

The old I-40 route from Penn to Western will be open once the ramps to the new I-40 are done. They don't need to be done with the "refurbishing" to open it. It was in ODOT's traffic control plans for the Penn to Western contract. (Inner lanes get rebuilt first and then the existing outer lanes are removed).

If there's a road with access to it they will open it.

Edit: Actually the plans called for the Sheridan westbound on-ramp to be rebuilt first before opening westbound which wouldn't take long and they can open and close that ramp whenever they felt like it, if for some reason they wanted to postpone this section.

You can't really open it all the way to Western, so anything east of the westbound on ramp from Sheridan will be closed anyway. As far as the eastbound flyover over the new I-40 allowing access to the boulevard, they better put a sign up saying access to Reno/Sheridan ONLY.

You have to remember that the old Crosstown is elevated at Western and it's a huge drop off right now.

You can't really open it all the way to Western, so anything east of the westbound on ramp from Sheridan will be closed anyway. As far as the eastbound flyover over the new I-40 allowing access to the boulevard, they better put a sign up saying access to Reno/Sheridan ONLY.

You have to remember that the old Crosstown is elevated at Western and it's a huge drop off right now.

Yes, to make things easier I always say Penn to Western. Who needs a sign? Its a great way for people to learn the grid, they will only be confused once.lol

Yes, that works on here amongst us...but for the general public that don't follow these things, I'll have a steakout at the McDonalds parking lot and film the first fool to drop his car over the end, after having driven through barricades ;-)

Yes, that works on here amongst us...but for the general public that don't follow these things, I'll have a steakout at the McDonalds parking lot and film the first fool to drop his car over the end, after having driven through barricades ;-)

That would be quite the accomplishment to get past the concrete barriers they would have set up. ;)

Sad news. The bridge claims one last life before its final demolition. http://newsok.com/man-dies-in-industrial-accident-in-oklahoma-citys-bricktown/article/3703566

went to a movie at Harkins yesterday. Had not been there for awhile. The bridge being gone was, for lack of a better term, freaky.

That would be quite the accomplishment to get past the concrete barriers they would have set up. ;)

Ya know, when the Kilpatrick was being built, some moron drove through the barricades on coltrane before the bridge had been completed over the highway. Trust me, it can happen.

They were taking down the steel on the old I-40 over EK Gaylord today. It will be nice when it's open again. And oddly, we went to the movies at Harkins last night and noticed they were putting sod down on the cleared land. I wonder why they're doing that when they will be working on the boulevard fairly soon.

They were taking down the steel on the old I-40 over EK Gaylord today. It will be nice when it's open again. And oddly, we went to the movies at Harkins last night and noticed they were putting sod down on the cleared land. I wonder why they're doing that when they will be working on the boulevard fairly soon.

My guess is preventing soil erosion, especially if it is required when x number of days are before the surface work is done, they did the same thing over a large section of the new i40 after it had been graded and was waiting for the contracts to be let.

the major steel over shields and the RR tracks is now down .. i would expect shields to open up in the next couple of weeks

the major steel over shields and the RR tracks is now down .. i would expect shields to open up in the next couple of weeks
Only about 75% longer to open back up than they originally said it would take... but I wouldn't really have expected anything better.

Pic from a few weeks ago showing the former path of the removed I-40:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8195/8085773616_89bc0ca4ee_c_d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/travel_aficionado/8085773616/in/photostream)

photo by Travel Aficionado (http://www.flickr.com/photos/travel_aficionado/)

Only about 75% longer to open back up than they originally said it would take... but I wouldn't really have expected anything better.

I think there was suddenly less urgency when the design of the boulevard was called into question. The dismantling proceeded much more quickly prior to that, I noticed. And that's fine, as there isn't really as much urgency anymore. Most of us would like them to take their time and get it right.

Shields is due to reopen after this weekend!!! Workers downtown...feel free to rejoice!!!

Shields is due to reopen after this weekend!!! Workers downtown...feel free to rejoice!!!

The permanent ramps from I-235 also opened a week or two ago.

Which ramps?

Which ramps?

I should have posted that in the other thread. Ramps to I-40.

I should have posted that in the other thread. Ramps to I-40.

Shields is officially back open

Pic would be awesome ;-)

Sometimes you just gotta get your own. Don't mind the bug crap!

Coming down Shields
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8474/8110554429_5ef5b207db_b.jpg

After washing windshield, looking east from Harvey & SW 3rd St at all that's left--pillars.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8469/8110552245_1a3fa74bf7_h.jpg

Thanks for those.

Those billboards look really, really bad and out of place now.

Yeah, you'd think they'd remove them!

Thanks for those.

Those billboards look really, really bad and out of place now.

Of course billboards always look really, really bad and out of place. LOL

It's sort of weird now to walk around in lower bricktown or even downtown. You know there used to be a highway over your head right here, but now it's gone. Just feels weird....and sooooo much more quiet :)