I-235 / I-44 Interchange

[Plutonic Panda]

Hopefully, that will only be for a short period of time.


As weird as this may sound, it always makes me a little sad to see a big project like this end. I usually go photograph every week over a period of years... Completion represents a loss! Of course, there are always new things and a bunch of additional projects will start to move next year, and a new weekly routine will be created.

Will you be documenting the 240-35 interchange once that starts in a couple years?

[Pete]

Will you be documenting the 240-35 interchange once that starts in a couple years?

Yes, of course!

[Plutonic Panda]

Yes, of course!

Awesome! That one will be exciting as well to see! Thank you for all of your hard work.

[Pete]

[Laramie]

It was difficult to remember that clover leaf; it has been almost 2 years since the worked started on the interchange. Thanks again.

[jn1780]

That traffic shift may happen before Christmas based on those photos. Totally completion by mid January seems likely unless we get a lot of rain/snow.

[OKCDrummer77]

Between Friday and today, I noticed new overhead signage for the eastbound-to-northbound ramp.

[MagzOK]

Looking at the aerial, it really is a shame they didn't include a bridge for Santa Fe over I-44 connecting it to NE 63rd St.

[Plutonic Panda]

Hopefully this can be done in the future

[therhett17]

It's also a shame they didn't include two more flyovers, completely eliminating the need for a cloverleaf

[bombermwc]

That traffic shift may happen before Christmas based on those photos. Totally completion by mid January seems likely unless we get a lot of rain/snow.

Fingers crossed this gets done in time.

Gotta say, it takes a lot of getting used to, to take the exit so early to go from northbound 235, to westbound 44. You feel like you're exiting for 50th or something because its so far back. I imagine that if you're coming up on the junction for the first time, it doesn't feel any different than say one in Dallas. Just hard to break those old feelings from the old routes.

Now, lets finish up here so we can get back to 240.....

[HangryHippo]

Gotta say, it takes a lot of getting used to, to take the exit so early to go from northbound 235, to westbound 44. You feel like you're exiting for 50th or something because its so far back. I imagine that if you're coming up on the junction for the first time, it doesn't feel any different than say one in Dallas.

That part is weird. The sign is too far north and you’re not sure if it’s the right exit for WB 44 as the retaining wall obscures the view.

[Timshel]

I'm assuming (hoping?) they'll fix this with better signage. But as someone that enters NB235 from 36th, I love the new westbound 44 exit because I can stay in the entrance lane which turns into the 44 exit lane without having to merge with traffic, which is often backed up right there. A win in by book!

[HOT ROD]

yes, hopefully the Santa Fe bridge and at least the WB I-44 to SB I-235 Downtown flyover can be built later.

[Laramie]

It's also a shame they didn't include two more flyovers, completely eliminating the need for a cloverleaf

Not that familiar as to how two more flyovers would work, I'm all for anything that improves this interchange.

ODOT will have the Infrastructure funds from the November 15 bill signed into law by Biden:

Over the next 5 years, the White House says Oklahoma can expect to see $4.3 billion in federal-aid highway apportioned programs.

Under the plan, the White House says Oklahoma should get $266 million for bridge replacement and repair.

Oklahoma will also be able to "compete for the $12.5 billion Bridge Investment Program for economically significant bridges and nearly
$16 billion of national funding in the bill dedicated for major projects that will deliver substantial economic benefits to communities."

yes, hopefully the Santa Fe bridge and at least the WB I-44 to SB I-235 Downtown flyover can be built later.

[David]

Don't hold your breath on a Santa Fe bridge, I can't imagine that ODOT cares to build one since they didn't in the first place, and the city doing it would be a waste of millions of dollars (maybe ten of millions, or more) which would be far better spent on something else. It would have been nice if the original interchange plan with it came to pass, but that ship has likely sailed.

And same for the two additional flyovers, most likely. Maybe in another few decades, but I would be shocked to see ODOT spend any more money on this interchange any time soon.

[jn1780]

Don't hold your breath on a Santa Fe bridge, I can't imagine that ODOT cares to build one since they didn't in the first place, and the city doing it would be a waste of millions of dollars (maybe ten of millions, or more) which would be far better spent on something else. It would have been nice if the original interchange plan with it came to pass, but that ship has likely sailed.

And same for the two additional flyovers, most likely. Maybe in another few decades, but I would be shocked to see ODOT spend any more money on this interchange any time soon.

Yeah, the Santa Fe bridge has a far greater chance of getting built and even that is a low chance. There would be more impact just by improving I-35 and I-44.

[BoulderSooner]

Don't hold your breath on a Santa Fe bridge, I can't imagine that ODOT cares to build one since they didn't in the first place, and the city doing it would be a waste of millions of dollars (maybe ten of millions, or more) which would be far better spent on something else. It would have been nice if the original interchange plan with it came to pass, but that ship has likely sailed.

And same for the two additional flyovers, most likely. Maybe in another few decades, but I would be shocked to see ODOT spend any more money on this interchange any time soon.

??? this was the original interchange plan ..

[David]

??? this was the original interchange plan ..

Yes, the plan they did not build. That is why I said "it would have been nice if the original interchange plan with it came to pass".

[David]

looking South

This one, in particular. Not too different from what we got except for no Sante Fe bridge.

[HOT ROD]

would greatly improve connectivity n-s without having to get on the crowded super-freeway.

The downtown flyover could handle crush loads much better/safer than the cloverleaf, similarly to why the two flyovers that were built, were built. The only one I'd argue probably doesn't need to change is the SB to EB clover, when does it ever have crush loads? Downtown is surely needed at some point, would have been cheaper to have it in this construction but oh well.

[rte66man]

would greatly improve connectivity n-s without having to get on the crowded super-freeway.

The downtown flyover could handle crush loads much better/safer than the cloverleaf, similarly to why the two flyovers that were built, were built. The only one I'd argue probably doesn't need to change is the SB to EB clover, when does it ever have crush loads? Downtown is surely needed at some point, would have been cheaper to have it in this construction but oh well.

Mornings when the State employees coming south need to cut over to Lincoln

[Dob Hooligan]

This is an innocent question---can someone explain the love for a Santa Fe bridge?

Looks to me that Santa Fe south of I-44 is a disjointed, 2 lane industrial road, and north of I-44 it is an access road for Broadway extension that runs only a mile and a half. How would you make it a viable general traffic road that is worthy of the cost involved?

[David]

This is an innocent question---can someone explain the love for a Santa Fe bridge?

Looks to me that Santa Fe south of I-44 is a disjointed, 2 lane industrial road, and north of I-44 it is an access road for Broadway extension that runs only a mile and a half. How would you make it a viable general traffic road that is worthy of the cost involved?

Even more money after building the bridge, of course.

I am glad you made this post. A mile to the east you have Kelly that goes through and all the way up to Edmond, and a mile west you have Western for the same. Spending the money to make Sante Fe connect when it only goes half a mile up and two miles down doesn't really feel like a good way to spend city or state money. I imagine that line of thought is why ODOT canned the bridge in the first place.

[MagzOK]

This is an innocent question---can someone explain the love for a Santa Fe bridge?

Looks to me that Santa Fe south of I-44 is a disjointed, 2 lane industrial road, and north of I-44 it is an access road for Broadway extension that runs only a mile and a half. How would you make it a viable general traffic road that is worthy of the cost involved?

Well, obviously traffic counts through this are enormous. You have a ton of capitol complex folks during the week that could utilize it when going north of I44 for lunch, etc., instead of getting on an interstate. When I worked at the capitol years ago I would have done that every day. Santa Fe is a heavily used road during the daytime between 23rd and 50th. North of 36th it is a 4-lane. Especially with SB 235 no longer having access to NW 50th, one could have exited 63rd and jogged over and down Santa Fe to get there, all without having to go through the interchange and over to Lincoln, or all the way west over to the Grand/Western exit debacle area that takes forever to get through, or even down to 36th and back up. And also, there's now no longer access for motorists on NW 50th to go NB 235 anymore with the new interchange. These motorists could have gone north across this bridge to 63rd then hopped right on. It's just really all about access. But I'm no traffic engineer, nor do I know what the true traffic counts are, but personally I would have used it often.