I-235 / I-44 Interchange

[I235+I44]

Love the pics, as always, Pete. This one especially is spectacular. Thanks a lot!!!

[David]

Replying with all pictures quoted so that they're on the new page.

I find it slightly odd looking that the middle section of the NB to WB cloverleaf only has two beams in parallel instead of the three that the rest of it has, but maybe that comes from those being steel beams instead of the concrete beams that the rest of it has.

[jccouger]

Does anybody know if they are constructing this with in mind they might have to create a flyover for southbound->eastbound & westbound -> southbound in the future? It doesn't seem like there will be a whole lot of space to work with.

[catch22]

Replying with all pictures quoted so that they're on the new page.

I find it slightly odd looking that the middle section of the NB to WB cloverleaf only has two beams in parallel instead of the three that the rest of it has, but maybe that comes from those being steel beams instead of the concrete beams that the rest of it has.

Those bridge spans seem much wider than the concrete, probably justifying the steel for added rigidity over that distance.

[HOT ROD]

^ Night and day difference. This will go a long way to improving OKC's infrastructure needs for the foreseeable future.

Thanks Pete for the updates.

I think there's one more flyover needed, WB I-44 to SB I-235 Downtown.

Then we'll have a proper 5-stack.

[PaddyShack]

I wish we had a time lapse from one of those drone locations up above the project .

[rte66man]

Does anybody know if they are constructing this with in mind they might have to create a flyover for southbound->eastbound & westbound -> southbound in the future? It doesn't seem like there will be a whole lot of space to work with.

There aren't any immediate plans to do either of those flyovers. Not in the 8-Year plan.

[HangryHippo]

There aren't any immediate plans to do either of those flyovers. Not in the 8-Year plan.

If they were in the plan, will there be space to add them?

[rte66man]

If they were in the plan, will there be space to add them?

IMO, definitely no for the SB to EB ramp. That office building in the NW corner really prevents much else happening. You might be able to get creative with a WB to SB ramp, but I don't know if the traffic volume warrants it.

[Pete]

You can see they are getting close to finishing the NBi235 to EBi44 off-ramp, which will then allow them to demolish and rebuild what was the old NBi235 bridge over the creek.

Then, they'll have to construct a new, parallel bridge over i44 for the northboud lanes.

[HOT ROD]

IMO, definitely no for the SB to EB ramp. That office building in the NW corner really prevents much else happening. You might be able to get creative with a WB to SB ramp, but I don't know if the traffic volume warrants it.

Into downtown?? I'd think it'd be warranted, particularly given that really small existing row.

[Snowman]

Into downtown?? I'd think it'd be warranted, particularly given that really small existing row.

WB to SB seems is more structurally set up to catch medium length local use, if a person is going to downtown from i44/i35 before they split it is more direct to take i35, plus for non-local drivers the sign for downtown indicates staying on i35. On normal days it will likely be used from people entering on 44 after it split from i35 or going to somewhere easier accessed by i235. Which is consistent with traffic flow I have seen around lunch/evening over the last decade, it having noticeably less use than any of the other of that junction's loops.

Granted with major renovation and some widening being done on i35 north of i40 over the next few years, once this junction's construction is finished it may get some percentage of people avoiding at least part of i35 construction.

[JDSooners]

You can see they are getting close to finishing the NBi235 to EBi44 off-ramp, which will then allow them to demolish and rebuild what was the old NBi235 bridge over the creek.

Then, they'll have to construct a new, parallel bridge over i44 for the northboud lanes.

How fast do you think the east cloverleafs will be abandoned for the new bridges? They are in the way of the northbound Broadway. the 44e to North Broadway looks like like it could be ready before the other one, but seems apparent the off ramps will be done before they send new bridge traffic on Broadway over 44

[David]

As soon as they can, I imagine. There's no way they aren't blocked from building the rest of the interchange while those two cloverleafs are still in use.

[Pete]

[5alive]

Some new sections will need to open soon and old sections demolished so more of the new can be built ...love the progress

[OKC Guy]

In that bottom picture the spur on the right that I assume will be 235n to 44e seems too straight. If they curve it quickly to go under the ramp it seems they will need to make it sharper? It seems the curve should have already been started? Maybe its too early to tell but I’m trying to figure out which ramp section it will go under and why not have the curve start earlier?

It almost seems as if they realized it and you can see the concrete goes straight but then maybe they realized and started making asphalt curve to the top/right of concrete?

[catch22]

In that bottom picture the spur on the right that I assume will be 235n to 44e seems too straight. If they curve it quickly to go under the ramp it seems they will need to make it sharper? It seems the curve should have already been started? Maybe its too early to tell but I’m trying to figure out which ramp section it will go under and why not have the curve start earlier?

It almost seems as if they realized it and you can see the concrete goes straight but then maybe they realized and started making asphalt curve to the top/right of concrete?

Blue is the permanent alignment, red is temporary. They are building an asphalt diversion to the old ramp under the new flyover. This will allow them to demolish the old main bridge to the left. And will allow them to build the permanent alignment under the adjacent bridge span without traffic.

See this image:

[OKC Guy]

^^

Thanks. In the rendering the curve seems fine. In the live picture it seems like the curve will be very sharp to make the corner so to speak. Might just be angle.

Also, in the rendering I can now see they will build the eastern n235 over 44 span first and it lines up with pillar anchors seen in the live shot.

[Snowman]

^^

Thanks. In the rendering the curve seems fine. In the live picture it seems like the curve will be very sharp to make the corner so to speak. Might just be angle.

Also, in the rendering I can now see they will build the eastern n235 over 44 span first and it lines up with pillar anchors seen in the live shot.

In the design document, shown directly from overhead, the curves look to be much smoother than the exit it replaces

[warreng88]

Ok, trying to figure out how this is going look when done and what else needs to be completed, so, pardon my ignorance and correct me if I am wrong.

The current North and south bound lanes are going to be on the south bound, the current exit ramp will be demolished and a new bridge built in its place. The current 235 over 44 will be for the south bound and west side cloverleafs and the north bound will be over the new section to the east. I would assume the north bound traffic would go to the right of the pillar that is next to the old north bound section.

Did I get all that right? Sorry, this interchange is getting pretty complex.

Also, are they going to tear down the old 235 bridge over 44 once the new one is built to expand that?

[Snowman]

Ok, trying to figure out how this is going look when done and what else needs to be completed, so, pardon my ignorance and correct me if I am wrong.

The current North and south bound lanes are going to be on the south bound, the current exit ramp will be demolished and a new bridge built in its place. The current 235 over 44 will be for the south bound and west side cloverleafs and the north bound will be over the new section to the east. I would assume the north bound traffic would go to the right of the pillar that is next to the old north bound section.

Did I get all that right? Sorry, this interchange is getting pretty complex.

Also, are they going to tear down the old 235 bridge over 44 once the new one is built to expand that?

IIRC they are going to tear down the old 235 bridge over 44.

South of the ramps the new bridge where the current N/S lanes are on where the distributor lanes will be, which cuts down on how much merging and exiting will be done from the main southbound lanes and allows breakdown lanes on the main lines through most of the junction. The bridge for the mainline southbound lanes has not started yet.

[OKC Guy]

Ok, trying to figure out how this is going look when done and what else needs to be completed, so, pardon my ignorance and correct me if I am wrong.

The current North and south bound lanes are going to be on the south bound, the current exit ramp will be demolished and a new bridge built in its place. The current 235 over 44 will be for the south bound and west side cloverleafs and the north bound will be over the new section to the east. I would assume the north bound traffic would go to the right of the pillar that is next to the old north bound section.

Did I get all that right? Sorry, this interchange is getting pretty complex.

Also, are they going to tear down the old 235 bridge over 44 once the new one is built to expand that?

In the picture you quoted if you look at the current n/s 235 over 44 bridges - then look to the right - you will see bases being built on both sides(n/s) and in middle of 44. Those are the foundations for the north bound new 235 bridge.

My guess is they finish that first then move traffic over to it and somehow keep 2 lanes both ways and then tear down existing bridge and build south new bridge.

[jn1780]

The northbound bridge deck will start pretty soon. They can't link it to traffic though until those two flyover ramps are done and traffic is shifted to them. There is a lot of work remaining for EB to NB flyover.

[OKC Guy]

The northbound bridge deck will start pretty soon. They can't link it to traffic though until those two flyover ramps are done and traffic is shifted to them. There is a lot of work remaining for EB to NB flyover.

Correct. And from the picture they will need to finish 235n to 44e ramp. Then once done and that traffic moved they can close current 44e ramp and start getting the concrete road poured - from just left of new 44e ramp starting point to the soon to be new 235n over 44 bridge. One can see the path the new 235n needs to take to line up with new bridge and the only thing in way is the existing 44e ramp.

Its cool looking at these pics and seeing how it comes together bit by bit