OKC Boulevard

[jn1780]

Makes sense. Although it seems the the BLVD would be enough of a priority to justify it. Although I guess they may not consider time sensitive.

Its been 6 years since the new I-40 opened and the city seems to be running fine so far.

[jn1780]

Beer bet it's not done by end of 2019?

If they actually get started within the next month or two, maybe. Key projects usually progress relatively fast once they actually get started. Its the starting part that we struggle with.

[jerrywall]

Its been 6 years since the new I-40 opened and the city seems to be running fine so far.

Ya know what they say about opinions....

[Scott5114]

I didn't read the entire thread, so forgive me if this has already been addressed, but I'm curious what's going to happen once they get OKC Blvd completed and it begins handling a full traffic load.

Right now, you can get on OKC Blvd just west of Western, and it it dumps you off onto I-40 around Agnew. At that point, if you want to get onto westbound I-44, you have about 1/2 mile to cross 5 or 6 lanes of traffic on I-40. It's already tough to do with the small amount of traffic using that small piece of OKC Blvd. I can't imagine doing it once the Boulevard is open and carrying max traffic. It will be impossible during rush hour.

FHWA strongly discourages left exits, for this reason among others. The proper thing to do would be to reconfigure the interchange to have all I-44 traffic get off on the current I-44 East ramp, which would then fork and westbound I-44 traffic would be carried over the interchange on a flyover bridge.

Of course, ODOT specializes in being a disappointment, so I doubt that would happen any sooner than 2030, if ever.

[Roger S]

Ya know what they say about opinions....

That the person with that opinion hasn’t had to drive through all the detours getting to work since the boulevard was started?

[jerrywall]

That the person with that opinion hasn’t had to drive through all the detours getting to work since the boulevard was started?

Hah. That's what I'm guessing.

[jn1780]

Since I'm forming opinions..........
Seems like most of those detours have been project 180 related and now streetcar or park related. The worst part was when shields was closed and that's over now.

[Roger S]

Since I'm forming opinions..........
Seems like most of those detours have been project 180 related and now streetcar or park related. The worst part was when shields was closed and that's over now.

Not the ones I've been driving through.... All have been boulevard related.

[HangryHippo]

I'm sure it's been asked (hell, I may have the been one to ask at some point and just can't remember/find it), but is there a reason that OKC didn't just use Reno for a crosstown boulevard? Was this ever addressed anywhere?

[Pete]

I'm sure it's been asked (hell, I may have the been one to ask at some point and just can't remember/find it), but is there a reason that OKC didn't just use Reno for a crosstown boulevard? Was this ever addressed anywhere?

Yes, there was lots of discussion about just forgetting the boulevard altogether, restoring the street grid and letting streets like Reno just handle the traffic.

[catch22]

Wasn't there some talk of Reno going on a diet in Bricktown? Seems like 4-5 years ago something came out about closing some lanes and converting them to parallel parking.

[WitWhy]

FHWA strongly discourages left exits, for this reason among others. The proper thing to do would be to reconfigure the interchange to have all I-44 traffic get off on the current I-44 East ramp, which would then fork and westbound I-44 traffic would be carried over the interchange on a flyover bridge.

Of course, ODOT specializes in being a disappointment, so I doubt that would happen any sooner than 2030, if ever.

at least ODOT has plans to widen the I-40 bridges over I-44 in 2024... but they should just not waste that money and put it toward an entirely new interchange that is designed by someone from TxDOT or any other DOT that knows how to design a proper interchange.

[Plutonic Panda]

at least ODOT has plans to widen the I-40 bridges over I-44 in 2024... but they should just not waste that money and put it toward an entirely new interchange that is designed by someone from TxDOT or any other DOT that knows how to design a proper interchange.

I believe OkDOT is planning on a complete replacement of the I-40/I-44 Interchange. I think the bridge widening is the first part of that. We could see a proposal this year. I’m not sure.

I’m hoping Cornett gets into the governors office because I’m thinking he would be for increasing OkDOTs budget. As much crap as I give OkDOT, it really isn’t all their fault. They do share some blame, but their budget levels are awful.

Not sure if anyone saw, but an infrastructure package was released today by the US Chamber. I’ll probably make a post about it in the politics thread if no one else does.

[Urbanized]

Wasn't there some talk of Reno going on a diet in Bricktown? Seems like 4-5 years ago something came out about closing some lanes and converting them to parallel parking.

Continues to be discussed.

[bradh]

Man that would be such an improvement to make Reno like it is south of Myriad the same way all the way to Lincoln

[Urbanized]

It was a priority identified by Bricktown stakeholders this week in the Downtown OKC Partnership’s district planning sessions.

[Scott5114]

As much crap as I give OkDOT, it really isn’t all their fault. They do share some blame, but their budget levels are awful.

I mean, yeah, funding helps, but all of the budget excuses in the world don't justify something like this.


(for those who haven't seen this before, yes, this is a real sign OkDOT put up)

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah I can not in good faith justify anything OkDOT has done with its signing.

[jerrywall]

I mean, yeah, funding helps, but all of the budget excuses in the world don't justify something like this.


(for those who haven't seen this before, yes, this is a real sign OkDOT put up)

What does that small sign say? I can't read it....

[Scott5114]

"Entering Craig County/County Road Speed Limit/45 MPH/Unless otherwise posted"

It's a standard sign that appears at many county lines where the county has set its default speed limit to something other than the state default of 55 mph. Some counties (e.g. McClain) do not use this sign and just post the speed limit on each road. Most rural counties don't have the money for that many signs, so they have OkDOT post this sign instead. It's that small because it won't apply to the vast majority of traffic (most of which will stay on the state highway system); it's mostly there to satisfy legal requirements that the speed be posted.

[rte66man]

at least ODOT has plans to widen the I-40 bridges over I-44 in 2024... but they should just not waste that money and put it toward an entirely new interchange that is designed by someone from TxDOT or any other DOT that knows how to design a proper interchange.

That interchange was designed nearly 60 years ago. It was considered state of the art back then. ODOT may have it's quirks, but they have come a LONG way since then.

[TheTravellers]

I mean, yeah, funding helps, but all of the budget excuses in the world don't justify something like this.
...

(for those who haven't seen this before, yes, this is a real sign OkDOT put up)

Ha, so true - money can't fix stupid (maybe they're not *all* stupid, but money can't fix old, outdated, poor ways of thinking about DOT things).

[Buffalo Bill]

http://newsok.com/final-construction...rticle/5583610

[gopokes88]

I hope fix the boulevard and rebuild it like it was supposed to be built before ODOT mucked it up is on maps4

[OKC2017]

there is land clearing on the track of okc blvd from gaylord to walker; i assume this signals that construction on this stretch has begun. i can also guess that this sector of the blvd. will be pedestrian friendly because it connects bricktown, chesapeake, streetcar terminal, park + convention center + hotel and is pretty darn close to myriad, devon, bok plaza as it runs adjacent to reno and sheridan.