Moore Bond for Telephone Rd

[bombermwc]

Looks like Moore is asking for its next bond money to be used to make Telephone Rd 4 lanes from S 34th to the Moore/Norman border about a mile south of 34th.

https://www.koco.com/article/dollar6...grows/62628121

I've driven this plenty of times but it never seems busy to me. Am I just not driving it at the right time? Compare that to actual 34th or some of the 2 laners in NE Moore. Seems like we have a lot of immediate needs that should be taken care of instead of something like this that is for "future capacity". It just doesn't feel like this is needed unless it's trying to address something for someone that works in the city happens to be living near....basically local pork barrel.

There was also a comment about it coming after the last bond, but that it might make property tax go up. So are they doing a millage election here too or did the city pass a tax rate change? I'm not sure how they can do those things together at the same time.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Looks like Moore is asking for its next bond money to be used to make Telephone Rd 4 lanes from S 34th to the Moore/Norman border about a mile south of 34th.

https://www.koco.com/article/dollar6...grows/62628121

I've driven this plenty of times but it never seems busy to me. Am I just not driving it at the right time? Compare that to actual 34th or some of the 2 laners in NE Moore. Seems like we have a lot of immediate needs that should be taken care of instead of something like this that is for "future capacity". It just doesn't feel like this is needed unless it's trying to address something for someone that works in the city happens to be living near....basically local pork barrel.

There was also a comment about it coming after the last bond, but that it might make property tax go up. So are they doing a millage election here too or did the city pass a tax rate change? I'm not sure how they can do those things together at the same time.

I believe Norman was also expanding 34th to 4 lanes going into Moore but is on pause with the turnpike going through Indian Hills?

[Jeremy Martin]

I have to think that this is future planning for the turnpike. They thinks lots new folks will be heading into Moore. Rumor has it that Ikea is looking at the area around i35 and Indian hills.

[Boop]

I am going to vote yes on it, it needs 4 lanes anyway

[bille]

When I first learned of this bond a couple months ago the city manager told me the reason it’s coming up now is 100% because of the turnpike. Earlier this year OTA told Moore (and norman) that in 2027 they will dumping the Indian Hills bridge traffic onto Telephone and recommended widening the road to support the extra traffic.

Otherwise Moore wasn’t planning on widening it until at least the next “scheduled” round of road bonds projects.

[bombermwc]

But they aren't replacing the India Hills bridge with Turnpike, so why does that make sense?

[bille]

The Indian Hills bridge has been slated to be rebuilt for years (before the 34th street bridge was even built). The high stack interchange going in at I35 and Indian Hills will negate the current bridge, it’ll need to go away eventually anyway. It seems like they’ll be working the interchanges of the East-West connector in Newcastle and Norman first and then connecting them before continuing east.

[bombermwc]

That doesn't make sense. The current bridge is for street traffic. The bridge created for the turnpike would be for turnpike traffic. They've already said that there won't be frontage roads, so it wont be close enough to be able to replace Indian Hills. Now that entire interchange may look different from today, but i haven't seen anything that indicates they plan on replacing a city street with only the turnpike road. I dont think anyone would be on board with that at all.

It's need will absolutely not be negated. Those two roads would serve very different purposes and the turnpike is not there to replace Indian Hills. I can see why if you're looking at the OTA plan, why you would say this, but IH is not being removed. If you look along the path of it, it stays hugging the connector basically the entire length of the path. Unless you're giving that traffic a free pass to get on and off, then it doesn't replace it. Not all of that land is also up for being bought on both sides. It would be helpful if they would release a better map showing what goes and stays, what the stack will be fully like/etc.

[bille]

I agree that after Norman balked at the previous layout (in turn screwing locals out of convenient access at multiple locations) shifting the turnpike it has made it more challenging determining just how this all shakes out.

Perhaps the old two lane bridge that’s been slated for replacement for a decade won’t be removed but the reason given for the abrupt addition of the bond to widen Telephone is due to traffic increasing in the area as a result of turnpike work in the area.

[Jeremy Martin]

The OTA will build the needed on/off ramps. The developers that are helping to move this along need them. You for sure will be able to get on/off at I35. I'm not a fan of the way that the OTA operates but the East/West connector will be a good thing for Moore IMO. Telephone will be very busy once the turnpike is completed.

[bombermwc]

I dont disagree, i think it will actually be a good thing. I think we've wasted a lot of time and energy fighting something that is going to happen eventually anyway and it's going to cost us all more in the long run with the way things are going. We all lose in the end.

I do wish they would release a revised plan that shows what is actually going to happen though.

i hate that we have so many tolls roads, but if ODOT is not going to create new roads, then someone has to. And ODOT can't do it if we dont get more money going to them. No on wants taxes, but that's how we pay for things.

[bombermwc]

Thought i would add some more information after other threads added some more details.


Indian Hills IS staying intact. The interchange will be over I-35 and does include retaining Indian Hills. The turnpike will run parallel to IHRd moving from being north to south of its and waving around. I believe the only exit will be at Sooner, but NOT an interchange there. Just an on/off ramp in both directions. There is no "frontage". IHR IS the frontage, but with little access from the turnpike.

Moore did a terrible job of explaining the need for Telephone Rd to be made into 4 lane. It's partly in preparation for the IHR interchange being THE connection point to the turnpike for Moore residents. Since there's no 34th street access from 35, if you live in Moore and want to use the connector, you're going to go down that Telephone Rd path to get there. Or if you're north Moore, 35 or far east, Sooner. But with the added traffic this is going to create, it really is necessary to accommodate that. And, here's the big one. Once the interchange is settled, I guarantee you'll see something develop on that land where Andy Alligators was. Speculation is rampant on what will be there....and we've seen Ikea discussed but who knows if that's bull (but i think it would be great). But whatever ends up going in there, could be an anchor development for more around it....meaning more Moore traffic going up and down Telephone.


Before i found more of this out from my own research with the OTA website and other sources, I was going to vote No on this because it didn't seem necessary. However, i did change my mind and vote yes to both Moore proposals this morning. I wish the city had done a better job explaining it though.

[jn1780]

How do you get from Telephone Rd onto the turnpike? From the I-35 service roads? From OTA's rough drawing, I see that they are rebuilding the Indian Hills road bridge and straightening out the service roads so that they intersect at more perpendicular angles with IHR. Its less clear how you get on either I-35 or the turnpike from that drawing though.

https://www.accessoklahoma.com/east-west-connector

[Zuplar]

I'm further West, I figure I'll be getting on at Western, but I'm curious if you can get on at I-35 as well.

[jn1780]

I'm further West, I figure I'll be getting on at Western, but I'm curious if you can get on at I-35 as well.

Well at Indian Hills road anyway without unnecessary back tracking to get on from either NB or SB I-35. Probably have to wait for final OTA drawings to know for sure.

[Jeremy Martin]

The OTA has stated that they will have on/off access on Western, I-35 and Sooner.

[Boop]

Thought i would add some more information after other threads added some more details.


Indian Hills IS staying intact. The interchange will be over I-35 and does include retaining Indian Hills. The turnpike will run parallel to IHRd moving from being north to south of its and waving around. I believe the only exit will be at Sooner, but NOT an interchange there. Just an on/off ramp in both directions. There is no "frontage". IHR IS the frontage, but with little access from the turnpike.

Moore did a terrible job of explaining the need for Telephone Rd to be made into 4 lane. It's partly in preparation for the IHR interchange being THE connection point to the turnpike for Moore residents. Since there's no 34th street access from 35, if you live in Moore and want to use the connector, you're going to go down that Telephone Rd path to get there. Or if you're north Moore, 35 or far east, Sooner. But with the added traffic this is going to create, it really is necessary to accommodate that. And, here's the big one. Once the interchange is settled, I guarantee you'll see something develop on that land where Andy Alligators was. Speculation is rampant on what will be there....and we've seen Ikea discussed but who knows if that's bull (but i think it would be great). But whatever ends up going in there, could be an anchor development for more around it....meaning more Moore traffic going up and down Telephone.


Before i found more of this out from my own research with the OTA website and other sources, I was going to vote No on this because it didn't seem necessary. However, i did change my mind and vote yes to both Moore proposals this morning. I wish the city had done a better job explaining it though.

I am glad you changed your mind, it is needed, I also voted yes on both

[Boop]

I just checked the results and it looks like the bond is going to pass which is great news

[s00nr1]

Thought i would add some more information after other threads added some more details.


Indian Hills IS staying intact. The interchange will be over I-35 and does include retaining Indian Hills. The turnpike will run parallel to IHRd moving from being north to south of its and waving around. I believe the only exit will be at Sooner, but NOT an interchange there. Just an on/off ramp in both directions. There is no "frontage". IHR IS the frontage, but with little access from the turnpike.

Moore did a terrible job of explaining the need for Telephone Rd to be made into 4 lane. It's partly in preparation for the IHR interchange being THE connection point to the turnpike for Moore residents. Since there's no 34th street access from 35, if you live in Moore and want to use the connector, you're going to go down that Telephone Rd path to get there. Or if you're north Moore, 35 or far east, Sooner. But with the added traffic this is going to create, it really is necessary to accommodate that. And, here's the big one. Once the interchange is settled, I guarantee you'll see something develop on that land where Andy Alligators was. Speculation is rampant on what will be there....and we've seen Ikea discussed but who knows if that's bull (but i think it would be great). But whatever ends up going in there, could be an anchor development for more around it....meaning more Moore traffic going up and down Telephone.


Before i found more of this out from my own research with the OTA website and other sources, I was going to vote No on this because it didn't seem necessary. However, i did change my mind and vote yes to both Moore proposals this morning. I wish the city had done a better job explaining it though.

What's funny about this is Moore city leaders sold us on the 34th St overpass bond package with assurances they had a handshake agreement with ODOT that on/off ramps at 34th would be built once the new interchange at Indian Hills was built.

[jn1780]

What's funny about this is Moore city leaders sold us on the 34th St overpass bond package with assurances they had a handshake agreement with ODOT that on/off ramps at 34th would be built once the new interchange at Indian Hills was built.

That's probably still in the works and even more important with the current design plans. I have yet to see a drawing that allows access to the turnpike except Directly off of I-35. You have to be able to get on and off of I-35. Widening Telephone road is important for future growth. Is it important for because of the turnpike? Probably not, not anymore with the removal of the ramp between I-35 and Western.

[Jeremy Martin]

I'd bet that the turnpike exit at 35 will have some access to Indian Hills and if so it would be pretty easy to get to Telephone. If that is the case i don't think not having a TP exit ramp at Santa Fe will make much of a difference.

[bombermwc]

I'd bet that the turnpike exit at 35 will have some access to Indian Hills and if so it would be pretty easy to get to Telephone. If that is the case i don't think not having a TP exit ramp at Santa Fe will make much of a difference.

That's my thought too. It's still going to be helpful for south Moore and North Norman residents to get on. Even if it's technically from 35. Getting TO that interchange is the key.

My understanding is that Norman also already has plans to widen Telephone (36th) for the same reasons.

[The]

That's my thought too. It's still going to be helpful for south Moore and North Norman residents to get on. Even if it's technically from 35. Getting TO that interchange is the key.

My understanding is that Norman also already has plans to widen Telephone (36th) for the same reasons.

I swear I saw that Norman has put their plans to widen 36th on hold with no ETA.

[bille]

I swear I saw that Norman has put their plans to widen 36th on hold with no ETA.

Their city council botched that entire deal. They do not currently have a funding source identified for the project is what I was told.

[bille]

What's funny about this is Moore city leaders sold us on the 34th St overpass bond package with assurances they had a handshake agreement with ODOT that on/off ramps at 34th would be built once the new interchange at Indian Hills was built.

That’s interesting. I attended every single town hall regarding the 34th bridge and every one I spoke with was adamant that there was no guarantee we’d see on/off ramps anytime soon nor was there a plan for them rather the hope was that they’d eventually come.

Having said that, even without the turnpike the somewhat recent I35 corridor study (through Moore/Norman) identified them as being needed. In short, they’re coming one way or another. Eventually! ��