Commissioner Gatz also mentioned the I-35/HW-9 west bridge replacement project that is about to start will include adding additional lanes from Norman South to Goldsby. They already have the outside lanes barricaded to the Goldsby exit in preparation of this.

Commissioner Gatz also mentioned the I-35/HW-9 west bridge replacement project that is about to start will include adding additional lanes from Norman South to Goldsby. They already have the outside lanes barricaded to the Goldsby exit in preparation of this.

Work has apparently started

From News 9: $480 million investment in new red river bridge, widening of I-35 set to start this fall.

https://www.news9.com/story/66d644aa3e91fe46a5b1b0e7/480-million-investment-in-new-red-river-bridge-widening-of-i-35-set-to-start-this-fall

Highlights:

Gatz says it would take about $2.5 billion to widen all of I-35 to six lanes in Oklahoma. So, they’re starting slowly, focusing on the 10-mile stretch from the Red River into Oklahoma just to start.

“That bridge over the Red River is about a $480 million project; about $37 million of that is on the Oklahoma side,” said Gatz.

The project is expected to start this fall and will take 3-4 years to complete.

https://oklahoma.gov/odot/i-35.html

What I really wish they would do is start work on the bridges that need to be widened down to Texas. Then, when all of them are widened, the time to add a lane of traffic dramatically decreases.

What I really wish they would do is start work on the bridges that need to be widened down to Texas. Then, when all of them are widened, the time to add a lane of traffic dramatically decreases.

Tell Texas to share their exorbitant federal transportation funding with Oklahoma.

Tell Oklahoma to let ODOT issue bonds for interchange improvements.

Tell Oklahoma to let ODOT issue bonds for interchange improvements.

Why not both?

They should widen I-35 from Riverwind to I-40 to 8 lanes...seriously.

Why not both?

Completely agree. Thought we were just throwing out good ideas.

Anyone else wonder what the deal is with the Oklahoma side being 37M and the Texas side being like 300M? What am i missing there? Is the project on the TX side going to straighten out that curve before you "dive" on to the bridge?

Anyone else wonder what the deal is with the Oklahoma side being 37M and the Texas side being like 300M? What am i missing there? Is the project on the TX side going to straighten out that curve before you "dive" on to the bridge?

I wondered about that too--especially considering that Oklahoma effectively owns the entirety of the red river.

More importantly, what will happen to the old DW's aka the Texas welcome center?

More importantly, what will happen to the old DW's aka the Texas welcome center?

That's not been DW's for several years... It's called The Mistress or something like that now.

I wondered about that too--especially considering that Oklahoma effectively owns the entirety of the red river.

Just a guess, but Oklahoma side is a straight shot. Texas has to do a lot of alignment.

That's not been DW's for several years... It's called The Mistress or something like that now.

Well, I am proud to say I never really noticed the change :)

I looked at googlemaps and to previous poster's points, the Oklahoma side spans practically the whole width of the river. I am curious if instead of a bridge under I-35 for the frontage road if they are going to go up instead. That would make sense on the cost. And I would also guess they would cut into the hill to the east to make it a straighter approach.

Well, I am proud to say I never really noticed the change :)

It's just always amused me that the first thing you see crossing the river is the vice that's not legal in the other state.

Yes Texas is going to take out that nasty curve and BNSF is going to have a realigned rail corridor for almost 7 miles through there.

https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/wfs/i35/fact-sheet.pdf

They should widen I-35 from Riverwind to I-40 to 8 lanes...seriously.

Not sure they would need to when the turnpike extension to Purcell is complete.

It's just always amused me that the first thing you see crossing the river is the vice that's not legal in the other state.

Yep, I always said the Porn store is the TX welcome center and Winstar is the OK welcome center...

Yep, I always said the Porn store is the TX welcome center and Winstar is the OK welcome center...

And now that we have dispensaries on our side as well.... I'm just waiting for Texas to legalize prostitution, in response, so someone can open The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas there.

Yep, I always said the Porn store is the TX welcome center and Winstar is the OK welcome center...

I'm sure its more like a Patricia's or Christie's Toy box these days. Otherwise, I'm not sure how they out lasted Blockbuster video. Lol

Not sure they would need to when the turnpike extension to Purcell is complete.
It will due to shunpiking. They need 8-12 lanes in some areas even if they have to be HOT lanes.

when they redo the I-35 crosstown bridges, they should make the left lane HOV into the city on the NB bridge with OKC Boulevard as the dedicated exit. That would be sick, having a downtown HOV exit thereby giving legitimacy to the still freeway configuration of OKC Blvd. Just imagine coming into the city and seeing the big overhead sign for 'I-40Bus Downtown Oklahoma City (HOV)', lanes and left exit, along with the I-40W Amarillo/I-40E Ft Smith/I-35N Wichita/Tulsa and I-235N Edmond existing signs. Sick! Truly the 'Crossroads of America' junction.

Also add HOV lanes to EB I-40E into the city at OKC Blvd.

SB I-235 into the city at OKC Blvd could remain all vehicles. I don't think we'd really need anymore HOV lanes/exits except those two, which are left exits anyway.

Yes Texas is going to take out that nasty curve and BNSF is going to have a realigned rail corridor for almost 7 miles through there.

https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/wfs/i35/fact-sheet.pdf

Uh, did you see the date on that doc? It is 9 years old. There is zero chance of a BNSF realignment.

Uh, did you see the date on that doc? It is 9 years old. There is zero chance of a BNSF realignment.
I am not sure what exactly TxDOT's plans are but they are planning a huge expansion for this area for the OK/TX line to Denton to have an ultimate buildout of 8 lanes. Don't know anything about rai alignments. I presume TxDOT knows ODOT doesn't have the money and is throwing OK a bone with this.

Engineering takes time. Here's a snippet from P1 of the schematic... https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot/get-involved/wfs/i35ea/050323-schematic.pdf

19136

Uh, did you see the date on that doc? It is 9 years old. There is zero chance of a BNSF realignment.

Thanks, but how do you know there is zero chance?

Uh, did you see the date on that doc? It is 9 years old. There is zero chance of a BNSF realignment.

from pg 86 of this https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot/get-involved/wfs/i35ea/020218-meeting-summary.pdf which is from 2020


An agreement could not be reached between TxDOT and BNSF; therefore, the
BNSF rail alignment alternative has been removed from the proposed project
and the all proposed roadway design improvements will be included within the
existing: ROW within the Valley View area

Why is the rail alignment even a concern? What am I missing here? It seems like it's pretty far away to have anything to do with the bridge. And yeah, rail companies are the absolute worst. They're like the single child house kid that won't share their toys and doesn't want anyone telling them anything about anything. Plug their ears lalalalalalalalala. I really wish we could have had that crossing law pass at a federal level. It's a shame the state law couldn't take effect because of their lobby at the federal level. It's ridiculous to have miles long trains blocking crossings in an urban area at this age. And for hours at a time...daily.

Anyway, i dont understand why what they appear to be doing above, wasn't the plan all along. Rip out that hill and make the curve less sharp. The bridge over the river ends up curving some, but the turn itself is a lot less roller coaster. You take that thing at 80mph today and it's almost like going down the log flume sometimes. There is a homeowner up there in that area, but i do not know how much of that land is theirs vs the state's. And honestly, the state could take the land needed if the owner doesn't cooperate. I don't see Austin really paying much attention to one land owner on 35 not willing to give up a couple hundred feet of unusable hillside.

Why is the rail alignment even a concern? What am I missing here? It seems like it's pretty far away to have anything to do with the bridge. And yeah, rail companies are the absolute worst. They're like the single child house kid that won't share their toys and doesn't want anyone telling them anything about anything. Plug their ears lalalalalalalalala. I really wish we could have had that crossing law pass at a federal level. It's a shame the state law couldn't take effect because of their lobby at the federal level. It's ridiculous to have miles long trains blocking crossings in an urban area at this age. And for hours at a time...daily.

Anyway, i dont understand why what they appear to be doing above, wasn't the plan all along. Rip out that hill and make the curve less sharp. The bridge over the river ends up curving some, but the turn itself is a lot less roller coaster. You take that thing at 80mph today and it's almost like going down the log flume sometimes. There is a homeowner up there in that area, but i do not know how much of that land is theirs vs the state's. And honestly, the state could take the land needed if the owner doesn't cooperate. I don't see Austin really paying much attention to one land owner on 35 not willing to give up a couple hundred feet of unusable hillside.

they have federal laws on their side .. that are older then our state

from pg 86 of this https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot/get-involved/wfs/i35ea/020218-meeting-summary.pdf which is from 2020

This is a productive, non-snarky comment. I appreciate the information.

The areas of I-35 that have already been widened look great, I drove through yesterday, Davis and Pauls Valley when heading north on I-35. It will be a bit of a headache but nice when finished.

they have federal laws on their side .. that are older then our state

This is on the TX side. There isn't an issue that I can see anywhere on the OK side.

I drove by this today and the TX is definintely moving along. LOTS of dirt being pulled off that hill on the east side to start leveling it out for the curve.

Too bad Gainsville is still a complete mess years and years after that started.