I-235 / I-44 Interchange

[Pete]

From this afternoon (Friday 7/2):

[bucktalk]

The 63rd exit photo is confusing for me in that there looks like a large void of space between the pavement and the gravel bed under the pavement. It looks like a gap of 5-6' or so. Not sure I'm seeing it in perspective or it is what it is? Can someone explain this process. Thanks.

[5alive]

^^^^Same...confused

[catch22]

It's an MSE structure. Mechanically Stabilized Earth. It appears that it is hollow, but it is an illusion. Refer to Pete's photo in Post #1789. You can see where they sealed off the northern edge of where they were working on the previous phase. It is covered in a black moisture barrier material. Now that they are ready to proceed further north, they are backfilling the aggregate up against that black "wall". It's not hollow. Just an illusion.

[bucktalk]

It's an MSE structure. Mechanically Stabilized Earth. It appears that it is hollow, but it is an illusion. Refer to Pete's photo in Post #1789. You can see where they sealed off the northern edge of where they were working on the previous phase. It is covered in a black moisture barrier material. Now that they are ready to proceed further north, they are backfilling the aggregate up against that black "wall". It's not hollow. Just an illusion.

Very helpful! Thanks!

[jn1780]

They have the first level of retaining wall going all the way to the 63rd st bridge so hopefully they will finish all of the NB lanes up pretty soon and have it fully open up past I44 here soon

[Pete]

[Anonymous.]

The amount of concrete in that photo is wild.

[Pete]

At its widest point (just south of the 63rd intersection), it's the equivalent of about 15 lanes.

[HOT ROD]

wow

[Pete]

Eastbound 44 was down to one lane as they ready the first bridge trusses.

[Pete]

[bucktalk]

Nice! 63rd street exit is getting close to completion! Whew, what a massive project this thing has been. Honestly, it seems like they've moved fairly quickly on this. But, I don't commute downtown so for those who do this project may seem like it'll never end.

[Pete]

Once they finish the 63rd ramp and can complete those northbound lanes, it will no longer necessary to switch the northbound lanes so after the I-44 bridge, that traffic will be up to full speed.

Then, it will be down to finishing the southbound bridge and it will pretty much be all wrapped up.

It's hard to imagine how much better traffic will flow through that intersection.

[Snowman]

It looks like the phase reconstructing the westbound ramps between Lincoln and the interchange with less conflict is currently set to start FFY 2023, but I would not be shocked if that got moved forward with some sort of of economic aid package or delayed due to covid budgets

[Ryan]

Once they finish the 63rd ramp and can complete those northbound lanes, it will no longer necessary to switch the northbound lanes so after the I-44 bridge, that traffic will be up to full speed.

Then, it will be down to finishing the southbound bridge and it will pretty much be all wrapped up.

It's hard to imagine how much better traffic will flow through that intersection.

Is there a timeline on when the bridge will be complete vs the whole project? I watched a similar project like this in Fort Worth that took 2 years to complete

[Pete]

Is there a timeline on when the bridge will be complete vs the whole project? I watched a similar project like this in Fort Worth that took 2 years to complete

They have said "this fall".

I suspect it will be largely complete before the end of the year.

They have plenty of motivation besides contracts; the state has a big liability due to how unsafe things are now -- way worse before they started construction.

[Snowman]

Is there a timeline on when the bridge will be complete vs the whole project? I watched a similar project like this in Fort Worth that took 2 years to complete

If it follows a similar pace of the NB bridge over i44 and the two main lane bridges over the river on this project, probably somewhere around 6 months.

[snark0leptic]

So I was a bit curious about some striping and lane shifts, maybe someone can explain. The EB-44 off ramp to I-235S & Broadway extension flyover goes from two lanes, then is forced to merge into one for a few hundred feet maybe, and then branches off into two lanes heading north and one heading south. Couple this with a police suv hanging out in the triangle median this morning created quite the confused backup, but even without flashing lights it can backup for no other reason than that one lane merge. Is there any specific reason they did that, perhaps before the Broadway Extension flyover was open, and hopefully are there any plans to re-stripe that small section to avoid this unneeded bottleneck? The section of road seems wide enough to accomodate two lanes of traffic throughout.

[Pete]

^

I believe it is to slow down traffic because it quickly merges with other lanes at the end.

I suspect when they get everything done and you don't have those hazardous merges, it will be restriped to 2 lanes.

[jn1780]

The NB/SB ramp will be stripped for two lanes upon project completion.

[David]

It's certainly been a giant pain having the new flyover access forced down to one lane with the southbound people too, so it's a relief to see the diagram of it being restriped.

[Pete]

[BoulderSooner]

once those center supports are up and poured ..... the rest of those 2 bridges will go very fast .. ( beams and then fill)

getting closer and closer to north and south being complete every day ..

[Urbanized]

I'll start out by admitting that I've paid very little attention to this - because it's out in the northern hinterlands beyond NW 50th and it rarely impacts me - but, I mean...there are going to be other flyovers, right? Everyone is talking like this is being buttoned up but I'm seeing no pathway currently being developed for southbound traffic to transition east, nor for westbound traffic to go south. Am I just missing it? Is that another phase, as yet to kick off? The existing cloverleaf portions are going to be demolished, right? Seems like a long time to go without these transitions.

Edit: never mind. I went back to the very start of the thread and see that the cloverleaf portions are being retained for those transitions I just mentioned. I mean...I don't have a dog in this fight, but that seems antithetical to the whole "we have to make sure traffic is unimpeded and can change directions without slowing down in any way." Oh well.