I-240 and Eastern (Westbound)

[Bimmerdude]

Granted, most of us Southsiders have all the signs memorized, any idea on when they are going to replace the overhead and exit signs for Eastern? They did replace signs from Sunnylane all the way to Douglas. Just wondered why they stopped.

[bombermwc]

I'm more interested in why they decided that this was worth the money to proactively replace them instead of doing this as they needed to be replaced (from crashes or wear/tear). I've read comments about the changes in Federal rules or whatever, but having been trips through 5 states in the last 4 months, I can say that i'm not seeing this type of work actively being done anywhere that I've been besides Oklahoma.

Did we get some sort of grant money for it? Otherwise, I can think of a lot of projects that need to be done instead of changing the type of pole a sign is installed on.

[Scott5114]

I'm more interested in why they decided that this was worth the money to proactively replace them instead of doing this as they needed to be replaced (from crashes or wear/tear). I've read comments about the changes in Federal rules or whatever, but having been trips through 5 states in the last 4 months, I can say that i'm not seeing this type of work actively being done anywhere that I've been besides Oklahoma.

Did we get some sort of grant money for it? Otherwise, I can think of a lot of projects that need to be done instead of changing the type of pole a sign is installed on.

The sign panels themselves were due for a replacement. Most of the panels were installed in the 2000s, and reflective sheeting has a limited lifespan (about 10 to 20 years) before it starts losing its reflectivity. Additionally, the federal government has higher standards for reflectivity than they did when the signs were installed (Type III prismatic sheeting vs. Type I engineer-grade sheeting).

ODOT may have just decided that, since they were replacing the signs anyway, it was a good time to replace the support structures as well. Most of them I believe came with I-240 when it was built.

[Snowman]

It seems like the roads they have been replacing all the signage structures are generally ones they were widening either soon or on horizon, it looks like most of the i240 bridges west of i35 had originally been built so adding another lane would not even require much change on the majority of bridges. So the current plan may be the next time they do major surface work it will be widened to three lanes each direction between 35 and 40, granted if that were the case the bulk of the work is not yet on the 8 year plan.

[jn1780]

Seems to me they focus on the sign structures that are "easy"(Just drill out a hole in the ground for a foundation) or any road that won't be under construction in the immediate future. You will notice they don't touch the signs that have foundations in the middle of a Jersey barrier or hanging off the side of a bridge. I guess these will just be left until a more extensive road project begins?

I-240 and Eastern is probably close enough to 240/I40 interchange to just throw them in with that project.