Well the story gets even more muddy folks. The graded off the shoulder for the path all the way up to Anderson. And they had Anderson closed under I-40 as well for some weird reason (with a backhoe on the bridge).

So much of this doesn't line up in my brain. Why scrape the shoulders if you weren't planning on doing the 6 land work? But why would you not grade the INSIDE instead of the outside? That would mean tearing out the wire barrier, which i did not see that they had done. Plus those bridges are still there.

Why scrape the shoulders if you weren't planning on doing the 6 land work?

they are 100% doing the 6 lane work from somewhere west of Douglas all too 240 merge ...

Wonder when they're supposed to install the streetlights on the stretch they just rebuilt? Been like that for months now

I noticed that last time i drove down I-40. Only a couple of them were installed. They also never finished painting the Sooner Rd bridge.

I also figured out why Anderson was closed that weekend. They ripped out the sides (middle) of both bridges. Looks like they are prepping to "bridge the gap" (hahaha) to connect the two bridges to make the 6 lanes for that one. The jack hammered out the divider, the side supports, the concrete below/etc. That was short-sighted since OKC just spend a bunch of money trying to turn that section of Anderson into 4 lanes, but it has to squeeze down to 2 to fit under the bridge. Seems sort of silly to me, but whatever. Save a buck here to kick that can down the line.

I noticed that last time i drove down I-40. Only a couple of them were installed. They also never finished painting the Sooner Rd bridge.

I also figured out why Anderson was closed that weekend. They ripped out the sides (middle) of both bridges. Looks like they are prepping to "bridge the gap" (hahaha) to connect the two bridges to make the 6 lanes for that one. The jack hammered out the divider, the side supports, the concrete below/etc. That was short-sighted since OKC just spend a bunch of money trying to turn that section of Anderson into 4 lanes, but it has to squeeze down to 2 to fit under the bridge. Seems sort of silly to me, but whatever. Save a buck here to kick that can down the line.

Just did some sleuthing through the plans and it looks like actually will be extending the I-40 bridges to accommodate 4 lanes (+ a center turn lane) on Anderson. I agree with your sentiment on ODOT's short-sightedness though. That's how i feel about some of the more recent bridge replacements on I-35 between OKC and Texas. The N & S bound bridges over the Wa****a river just north of Pauls Valley come to mind. Crazy that they didn't build those wide enough to accommodate a future 3rd lane in both directions. Seems like ODOT is starting to head that direction though on current and future bridge replacements.

I noticed that last time i drove down I-40. Only a couple of them were installed. They also never finished painting the Sooner Rd bridge.

I also figured out why Anderson was closed that weekend. They ripped out the sides (middle) of both bridges. Looks like they are prepping to "bridge the gap" (hahaha) to connect the two bridges to make the 6 lanes for that one. The jack hammered out the divider, the side supports, the concrete below/etc. That was short-sighted since OKC just spend a bunch of money trying to turn that section of Anderson into 4 lanes, but it has to squeeze down to 2 to fit under the bridge. Seems sort of silly to me, but whatever. Save a buck here to kick that can down the line.

I don't think their trying to 'bridge the gap'. For whatever reason, they determined it made more sense to build 50 percent of a new bridge between those two old bridges and than build the other 50 percent after shifting traffic to new bridge. They demolished the retaining wall and breakdown lane to make more room.

ODOT is shortsighted, but I don't think they are that shortsighted to only enough room for two lanes for Anderson. Especially those two bridges are really two old to just upgrade like that.

Just did some sleuthing through the plans and it looks like actually will be extending the I-40 bridges to accommodate 4 lanes (+ a center turn lane) on Anderson. I agree with your sentiment on ODOT's short-sightedness though. That's how i feel about some of the more recent bridge replacements on I-35 between OKC and Texas. The N & S bound bridges over the Wa****a river just north of Pauls Valley come to mind. Crazy that they didn't build those wide enough to accommodate a future 3rd lane in both directions. Seems like ODOT is starting to head that direction though on current and future bridge replacements.

That kind of bridge expansion is not terrible though as long as the width between the piers line up. Its kind of like when KPT was expanded and they did 'Bridge the gap' in that case.

That kind of bridge expansion is not terrible though as long as the width between the piers line up. Its kind of like when KPT was expanded and they did 'Bridge the gap' in that case.

Yeah, that would for sure be the best case scenario. Especially since they'd be able to keep at least 1 lane open in each direction without having to divert one lane to the opposite direction of travel. I believe the North & South spans over the Whashi-ta are too far apart for that to be a realistic option though. Best i can tell from google earth the Washi-ta bridges are roughly 90' apart whereas the KPT were only 35'.

18237

Noticed they have poured a new asphalt lane on I-40 where the widening is occurring. I sure hope this is a temp lane and not part of the final product. Hoping they do all concrete like they did on the other section of I-40.