I-44/35/MLK exchange area lane closures

[Swalell1960]

So for what part of the overall project are the lanes being narrowed and shuffled?

[Plutonic Panda]

So for what part of the overall project are the lanes being narrowed and shuffled?

This entire interchange will be redesigned and reconstructed. The ramps and movements will be moved to the right side of the freeway, I-44 expanded to 8 lanes from I-35 to MLK, all ramps expanded to 2 lanes, and several bridges reconstructed. Next up will be a widening of I-35 to six lanes between I-44 and I-40.

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.p...464#post954464

OkDOT for whatever reason doesn't have it listed under a major project other than the map that shows the current phase being built. I know the lanes you speak(I-35NB to I-44 WB) and one being closed. This is OkDOT's explanation.

I-35 off-ramp to I-44 closes; I-35, I-44 lanes narrow Wednesday night
The following closures will affect traffic from 7 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday for barrier wall placement in preparation for an upcoming bridge rehabilitation project:

"The northbound I-35 off-ramp to westbound I-44 will be closed (mm 133);
The right lane of southbound I-35 will be closed between Wilshire Blvd. (mm 134) and I-44 (mm 133); and
East and westbound I-44 will be narrowed to one lane in each direction between I-35 and M. L. King Ave. (mm 129).
Beginning Thursday morning, east and westbound I-44 will remain narrowed to two lanes and the right lane of southbound I-35 at Wilshire Blvd. will be closed for an on-going bridge rehabilitation project on the M.L. King Ave. bridge through October. This project is adjacent to the I-235/I-44 interchange reconstruction and I-35 bridge reconstruction south of I-44 at Deep Fork Creek. Drivers should locate an alternate route or expect significant delays."

https://www.ok.gov/triton/modules/ne...ticle_id=54040

[Swalell1960]

This entire interchange will be redesigned and reconstructed. The ramps and movements will be moved to the right side of the freeway, I-44 expanded to 8 lanes from I-35 to MLK, all ramps expanded to 2 lanes, and several bridges reconstructed. Next up will be a widening of I-35 to six lanes between I-44 and I-40.

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.p...464#post954464

OkDOT for whatever reason doesn't have it listed under a major project other than the map that shows the current phase being built. I know the lanes you speak(I-35NB to I-44 WB) and one being closed. This is OkDOT's explanation.

I-35 off-ramp to I-44 closes; I-35, I-44 lanes narrow Wednesday night
The following closures will affect traffic from 7 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday for barrier wall placement in preparation for an upcoming bridge rehabilitation project:

"The northbound I-35 off-ramp to westbound I-44 will be closed (mm 133);
The right lane of southbound I-35 will be closed between Wilshire Blvd. (mm 134) and I-44 (mm 133); and
East and westbound I-44 will be narrowed to one lane in each direction between I-35 and M. L. King Ave. (mm 129).
Beginning Thursday morning, east and westbound I-44 will remain narrowed to two lanes and the right lane of southbound I-35 at Wilshire Blvd. will be closed for an on-going bridge rehabilitation project on the M.L. King Ave. bridge through October. This project is adjacent to the I-235/I-44 interchange reconstruction and I-35 bridge reconstruction south of I-44 at Deep Fork Creek. Drivers should locate an alternate route or expect significant delays."

https://www.ok.gov/triton/modules/ne...ticle_id=54040

Wow, that's more extensive than I thought it would be! So new flyovers for the transition of EB 44 to the NB 35/44 combined stretch.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^ this first phase you see now is schedule to wrap up in 2020-21... I am not sure when the next phases will begin. I think OkDOT will release the new 8yr plan soon if not the next couple days and we should know more when the other phases will start.

[jn1780]

I don't see the deep fork bridge rebuild being done until late 2021. The southbound side has been construction for over a year now with at least a month or two left to go on that side.

[bombermwc]

So we can spend money up on the north side again and still not get moving on 240/35 huh.

I mean at least the 240 one is in the plan, but this particular junction seems like it wasn't the best choice of places to start a whole new 8 year plan project. They'd get way more bang for their buck re-doing the bridge over Portland on I-40 to fix that bottleneck. 35/44 has a lot of cars, but it doesnt come to a stop like other areas.

[jn1780]

So we can spend money up on the north side again and still not get moving on 240/35 huh.

I mean at least the 240 one is in the plan, but this particular junction seems like it wasn't the best choice of places to start a whole new 8 year plan project. They'd get way more bang for their buck re-doing the bridge over Portland on I-40 to fix that bottleneck. 35/44 has a lot of cars, but it doesnt come to a stop like other areas.

The Portland bridge replacement is coming up fairly soon along with 240 interchange project. I don't even know where the I-44/35 interchange is on the eight year plan it might be on the tail end of it. Obviously, the current I-35 bridge replacement project was high up there on the priority list because of ODOT's commitment to replace OK bridges.

In regards to perceived favored treatment toward the north side, I seem to recall a lot of money being spent down in Norman for two single point interchanges and the highway 9 interchange. Maybe if the federal government wouldn't have given money for the Blvd, we could have used that money for other projects both sides of town would be better off, but that's a topic for different thread.

[Plutonic Panda]

I don't see the deep fork bridge rebuild being done until late 2021. The southbound side has been construction for over a year now with at least a month or two left to go on that side.

Whenever I pass I rarely see more than five guys working there at a time. Perhaps there are more and I can't see them. This project does seem to be dragging on.

[Pete]

Construction has started on I-35 south of I-44 and it's created yet another Death Race 2000 merger nightmare.

This time it's when you are transitioning from I-44 east to I-35 south...

Like when you are trying to go south on I-235 from 63rd, there is virtually no merger lane. You just get dumped straight into interstate traffic and there is really no way to look behind to check for on-coming traffic.

This is even worse because it's an interstate-to-interstate connection.


I'm sure it's cheap and fast to do it this way but I simply can't believe they allow this incredibly dangerous traffic condition.

[vaflyer]

A $37.9 million project to rebuild the I-35 bridges over 63rd Street which will include the reconfiguration of the I-35/I-44 interchange to accommodate the bridges will be let in March 2022.

[MagzOK]

Construction has started on I-35 south of I-44 and it's created yet another Death Race 2000 merger nightmare.

This time it's when you are transitioning from I-44 east to I-35 south...

Like when you are trying to go south on I-235 from 63rd, there is virtually no merger lane. You just get dumped straight into interstate traffic and there is really no way to look behind to check for on-coming traffic.

This is even worse because it's an interstate-to-interstate connection.


I'm sure it's cheap and fast to do it this way but I simply can't believe they allow this incredibly dangerous traffic condition.

People need to slow down in construction zones and drop their devices.

[WitWhy]

Construction has started on I-35 south of I-44 and it's created yet another Death Race 2000 merger nightmare.

This time it's when you are transitioning from I-44 east to I-35 south...

Like when you are trying to go south on I-235 from 63rd, there is virtually no merger lane. You just get dumped straight into interstate traffic and there is really no way to look behind to check for on-coming traffic.

This is even worse because it's an interstate-to-interstate connection.


I'm sure it's cheap and fast to do it this way but I simply can't believe they allow this incredibly dangerous traffic condition.

It has been that way for over a year now. I stay out of the right lane when going south. Too many close calls.
I just can't believe they're not working on this thing 24/7. Why does ODOT allow these contractors to just sit there doing nothing for weeks?

[Scott5114]

Construction has started on I-35 south of I-44 and it's created yet another Death Race 2000 merger nightmare.

This time it's when you are transitioning from I-44 east to I-35 south...

Like when you are trying to go south on I-235 from 63rd, there is virtually no merger lane. You just get dumped straight into interstate traffic and there is really no way to look behind to check for on-coming traffic.

This is even worse because it's an interstate-to-interstate connection.


I'm sure it's cheap and fast to do it this way but I simply can't believe they allow this incredibly dangerous traffic condition.

This happens so often with ODOT work zones that I wonder what your guys might find if they start poking around ODOT. If you look at the output of the sign shop, you can find some laughably slipshod work (like the specimen below that stood for over 10 years before being replaced). I wouldn't be surprised if that work ethic extends to other, more safety-critical departments and programs within the department.

People need to slow down in construction zones and drop their devices.

Statements like this just allow ODOT to shirk their inherent responsibility for providing safe road design. You don't see merge areas like this in other states' work zones. It's like a doctor getting caught practicing without a license and saying their patients just need to lose weight and exercise more.

[snark0leptic]

It has been that way for over a year now. I stay out of the right lane when going south. Too many close calls.
I just can't believe they're not working on this thing 24/7. Why does ODOT allow these contractors to just sit there doing nothing for weeks?

As an I44E to I35S fellow member of Death Race 2019-2020-20XX, I thank you for avoiding that lane, there are many overly cautious people merging on to 35 and that can back up the on-ramp real quick and is a nightmare to get everyone back up and flowing again. I normally hit that ramp around 50mph and adjust from there, but have definitely had to slot in between some semis a few times or brake hard at the last minute because someone wouldn't move over.

[BoulderSooner]

I35 southbound has now been shifted to the new lanes just south of I44 interchange

[snark0leptic]

Ah but you forgot the most exciting part, there's actually sort of a real merge lane now, I'm very curious to see how it looks for the afternoon commute since southbound always looks a mess when I pass.

[Pete]

I'll get out there and take a drone shot this week.

Always hard to figure out exactly what is happening without a birdseye perspective.

[catch22]

I'll get out there and take a drone shot this week.

Always hard to figure out exactly what is happening without a birdseye perspective.

I wish i had your drone. They are rebuilding I-25 between Colorado Springs and Castle Rock (south of Denver). It is an absolute nightmare of a drive; but i am fascinated by construction and would love to see some aerial shots.

[Pete]

I have always been fascinated by maps and aerials.

Long before being purchased by Google Earth, there was Keyhole and I happily paid for a subscription so I could look at aerials all over the world. Before that, I was obsessed by this big, bound world atlas my dad had purchased when I was kid.

Now, I take my drone out at least once a week. It's the perfect invention for me and came right after I moved back here. A perfect storm.

[catch22]

I have always been fascinated by maps and aerials.

Long before being purchased by Google Earth, there was Keyhole and I happily paid for a subscription so I could look at aerials all over the world. Before that, I was obsessed by this big, bound world atlas my dad had purchased when I was kid.

Now, I take my drone out at least once a week. It's the perfect invention for me and came right after I moved back here. A perfect storm.

I am very similar. When I'm bored I will just start exploring Google Earth. I might need to invest in a drone one day.

[jn1780]

Yay! They actually got one side done. So I guess another year and a half for the other side?

[Pete]

I am very similar. When I'm bored I will just start exploring Google Earth. I might need to invest in a drone one day.

You can find slightly used versions for a very reasonable price.

Like every other piece of electronics, there are people who have to have the latest/greatest even if the improvements are relatively minor.

[Pete]

I took these in the late afternoon and traffic on I-35 was backed up from this intersection all the way back to I-40.

[snark0leptic]

On the morning commute today it looked like the northbound traffic had been realigned to jog over to the other half of the bridge an on to the newly paved stretch before the 44 off-ramp.

[BoulderSooner]

On the morning commute today it looked like the northbound traffic had been realigned to jog over to the other half of the bridge an on to the newly paved stretch before the 44 off-ramp.

i noticed the same thing