This project has been planned for a while and is scheduled to get underway later this decade. A preferred alternative has been selected, which will not require any property impacts.

This will modernize the entire road, widen it to three lanes each way, along with replacing all of the bridges, and modifying the frontage roads as well.

I was hoping they were going to complete the gap in the service road from grand Avenue to 23rd St. but it doesn’t look like that’s happening. That’s kind of a bummer.

Project page: https://oklahoma.gov/odot/about-us/public-meetings/archive/2020/20200218.html

Map of improvements:

https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/odot/meetings/a2020/200218/I-35%20Ft%20Smith%20JCT%20to%20I-44%20Alt%20%20Rollout%20Map.pdf

This project has been planned for a while and is scheduled to get underway later this decade. A preferred alternative has been selected, which will not require any property impacts.

This will modernize the entire road, widen it to three lanes each way, along with replacing all of the bridges, and modifying the frontage roads as well.

I was hoping they were going to complete the gap in the service road from grand Avenue to 23rd St. but it doesn’t look like that’s happening. That’s kind of a bummer.

Project page: https://oklahoma.gov/odot/about-us/public-meetings/archive/2020/20200218.html

Map of improvements:

https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/odot/meetings/a2020/200218/I-35%20Ft%20Smith%20JCT%20to%20I-44%20Alt%20%20Rollout%20Map.pdf

I guess I never realized that the 23rd street bridge was made built big enough to allow I-35 to be expanded. I do kind of wish they would have replaced it with a SPUI though. Its odd to see a bridge rebuilt just to make it easier for two way traffic on the service roads. But I guess they pressured to do so with the homes in the area.

I guess I never realized that the 23rd street bridge was made built big enough to allow I-35 to be expanded. I do kind of wish they would have replaced it with a SPUI though. Its odd to see a bridge rebuilt just to make it easier for two way traffic on the service roads. But I guess they pressured to do so with the homes in the area.

I think it will have to be replaced. I don’t think there is room for 3 lanes and shoulders there with current bridge.

Doesn't this have to be done before or after the Olympics ?

I think it will have to be replaced. I don’t think there is room for 3 lanes and shoulders there with current bridge.
Per the schematics it doesn't seem like it will be replaced for this project but I'd imagine it's on their radar. It looks like an old bridge. Anyone know how old it is?

Per the schematics it doesn't seem like it will be replaced for this project but I'd imagine it's on their radar. It looks like an old bridge. Anyone know how old it is?

Fun fact: This intersection was a rotary until the early 2000's. The north and south bridges are the original bridges. When they built the the center bridge they did plan ahead to make it wide enough to support more lanes(They probably didn't think it would take 20 plus years). The retaining walls you see driving down 35 are the original walls, however, the 20-something-year-old bridge goes further out past the east and west walls.

19208

19209
Sorry for the bad drawings. But this is how they will make the current bridge work. The north bridge will be deleted and a new south bridge will be rebuilt beside the existing 23rd street bridge.

Wow thanks for the info I did not know this. Very interesting to see it was a rotary.

There was some historic element to why they did this sort of unusual work too, but i'm not able to recall the reason now. I wanna say there was something to do with a Civil Rights march that happened but don't quote me on that.