I-235 / I-44 Interchange

[Plutonic Panda]

They could have built a fully directional interchange. Yes there are problems but that is what makes for great engineering. OkDOT just didn’t have the money.

[BoulderSooner]

I really wish ODOT would've planned for an additional flyover, namely from the I-44 west to the I-235 south. Since the office is in the way of a flyover from south to east, the cloverleaf would be the more ergonomic choice for that merge. But from the space that seems to be available with the Santa Fe crossing being scrapped, I see that there could be the opportunity and availability to move that cloverleaf access and run it over the interchange, turning it into a 5-stack. Having two lanes of traffic dedicated to two cloverleaf accesses would only move the bottleneck to one lane of traffic, causing backup nightmares for the right lane looking to merge from 63rd to I-235 south.

In short, it provides a temporary solution but creates a long-living problem that future generations of drivers would have to deal with. Wasted opportunity.

there won't be any bottle neck when this project is finished

[Plutonic Panda]

there won't be any bottle neck when this project is finished

Eventually there will be.

[HFAA Alum]

Eventually there will be.

Granted it won't happen in the immediate future because the volume of traffic hasn't met the conditions that would allow that to happen. But given that the city is experiencing growth, the distant future could be seeing these issues manifest. I had some experience living in Atlanta, Mobile, Virginia Beach, and Oklahoma City. I can tell you the comparison of who's infrastructure makes sense and who doesn't.

Most of the layout in Mobile never accommodated for heavy traffic when the roads were built, so certain arteries have massive issues with traffic because they never improved the issue, nor do they have plans to do so. But the counter point to that is that the city is so dead after 10 P.M., they let the lights blink up and down some of the arteries. Is there a need to expand, yes. Is it worth it to expand right now, no. ALDOT is busy with bigger issues in Birmingham.

Atlanta has their traffic issues almost throughout the day and night, but the day traffic is absolutely abysmal. Try riding the I-75/85 corridor or I-285 in the middle of the day, you will have at least one moment where you are at a complete stop. So most of the time they have to do their construction in the night. When I was younger, the I-285 circuit was bad enough. Nowadays it's a whole nightmare. Problem is that Atlanta is ever-expanding, and is in need of massive expansion to some of their interchanges to keep their roads flowing. Which leads me to one of the worst bottlenecks in the country, Spaghetti Junction. I'm talking about a layout that's so complex that you would leave one ramp and could easily get back on the same damn road you just left. Be wary of where you turn, or you'll end up running the entire I-285 perimeter another two or three times. If you don't know your exit, God help you.


Virginia Beach is the shining example of suburban tax dollars at work. Strip malls, sectioned neighborhoods, tunnels and bridges galore. They can't really have high density housing over there because of the multitude of military operation bases established around the city. But you can bet your rear end if they see an opportunity to accommodate for the growing "suburbianopolis", they jump on it. Everything from expanding the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (adding more tunnels), to creating more turnpikes, they have done it. No tunnel or bridge there is older than 10 years without maintenance. Traffic going across the bay to Hampton Roads is still a disaster, but bet they've had some expansion ideas in the works. VDOT don't play around with the taxpayers money. Those are majority government employees, big no-no.

If I can say anything about this interchange, it's that it's a great thing for the city traffic-wise. It will operate in some ways on the idea that the city will grow, but I feel that minor flaw will still cause some confusion because of some random doucebag deciding that they don't want to let someone merge in from the east-to-south connector. One bad driver can ruin it for everyone around him. And as the city grows, you'll have more of these bad drivers in the morning looking to get to work on time, damn everyone else. Don't believe me, go take a drive in Spaghetti Junction and see for yourself.

[Plutonic Panda]

Ironically, the northeast is a giant suburb in a sense along with florida which about my favorite state. I have found driving through Atlanta is generally easier than driving through Birmingham. I’m actually in Birmingham now. Then there’s the sh!t show that is Memphis regarding its highways.

As much as I like to complain about highways in OKC, the truth is OKC has one of the best freeway networks of any city it’s size right now. How long that will last I don’t know. It took me almost an hour to get from downtown OKC to Moore the other week. I was also in town over the summer and experienced near gridlock conditions at Kelly and 33rd. I live in LA so traffic isn’t a big deal to me as I’ve become used to it but I’ve never seen the amount of traffic congestion in OKC that I’ve experienced lately. I went to Tulsa a couple weeks ago and it was a breeze to drive through at rush hour.

[HOT ROD]

the nice thing about OKC is you didn't need to be on I-35 for an hour to get to Moore from downtown; you could take a number of surface streets .

But I agree with the OP and have said many times that it is a wasted opportunity not to include the downtown flyover at I-235?I-44 junction; I hope they can plan for it because it will be needed in the near future!

[Pete]

[David]

Looks like the bridge work is getting close on the second flyover, though there is still a lot of concrete to pour for the rest of those ramps.

[jn1780]

Their getting closer towards getting the I-235 NB branch of the ramp done. That will be open before the branch leading to 63rd street. 3-4 weeks maybe before I-44 EB to 235 NB opens?

[Pete]

[BoulderSooner]

new odot 8 year plan

the final phase of this project ..

I-44: WESTBOUND TO NORTHBOUND RAMPS AT I-44/I-235 INTERCHANGE
JP# 0903328 FFY 2022 GRADE,DRAIN,BRIDGE & SURFACE $ 16,758,600

[Pete]

[DowntownMan]

new odot 8 year plan

the final phase of this project ..

I-44: WESTBOUND TO NORTHBOUND RAMPS AT I-44/I-235 INTERCHANGE
JP# 0903328 FFY 2022 GRADE,DRAIN,BRIDGE & SURFACE $ 16,758,600

I guess I’m confused on this. What part of this project is already not in progress. Looking at everything under construction it appears to me that everything is in progress currently?

[warreng88]

I guess I’m confused on this. What part of this project is already not in progress. Looking at everything under construction it appears to me that everything is in progress currently?

As stated above, it looks like the WB I-44 to NB 235/77 which actually has not started. I would assume they have to complete the flyover and exits to 63rd street prior to starting that exit ramp

[catch22]

Here is the project phasing picture. It's a small file and super low res. Basically the last phase is in pink. Looks to be some integration with the adjoining neighborhood, and the final connection to the already in progress northbound lanes.



Edit: the phase numbers are out of order, I believe a few years ago they dedicated extra funding to bring some of the larger phases forward, so Phase 7 etc is before Phase 3 of the original plan.

[vaflyer]

new odot 8 year plan

the final phase of this project ..

I-44: WESTBOUND TO NORTHBOUND RAMPS AT I-44/I-235 INTERCHANGE
JP# 0903328 FFY 2022 GRADE,DRAIN,BRIDGE & SURFACE $ 16,758,600

This project has been postponed until 2023 in the new 8-year plan.

[DowntownMan]

As stated above, it looks like the WB I-44 to NB 235/77 which actually has not started. I would assume they have to complete the flyover and exits to 63rd street prior to starting that exit ramp

I’m still confused. To me it looks like the west bound lane with connection to 63rd is under construction where the red crane is at. I wouldn’t think there would be much bridge work for this exit either. It’s just Ramos. But maybe there it more alone the 44 road and approaches with Lincoln off ramps that this entails.

[Snowman]

I’m still confused. To me it looks like the west bound lane with connection to 63rd is under construction where the red crane is at. I wouldn’t think there would be much bridge work for this exit either. It’s just Ramos. But maybe there it more alone the 44 road and approaches with Lincoln off ramps that this entails.

There will be new bridges between Lincoln and i235, to deconflict entry & exit ramps.

[Pete]

[Plutonic Panda]

Pete, have you heard anything about the trail gap that will be built through this interchange to complete the Deep Fork Creek trail? The city says it will start in 2021 but they’ve said it will start many times before and it never does.

[I235+I44]

Hi Pete,
Can you please present us with some new pics, if possible? It's been close to a month since you last posted and I am dying for some new ones. Appreciate all your help in advance!!!

[Pete]

Took these yesterday (open in new tab for high res):

[dcsooner]

Pete, Why do I see this as a massive overbuild? OKC last I experienced not a densely populated city with horrid traffic backups. Also, so many lane miles to maintain. Just like the Kickapoo turnpike, just don't see it

[Plutonic Panda]

If anything it is under built not over built LOL

[dcsooner]

If anything it is under built not over built LOL

Plu, you could be right, but could you explain why you believe that to be the case based on traffic patterns? I could be outdated due to my not living in the city