I-235 / I-44 Interchange

[Plutonic Panda]

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.

I'm wondering how much that bridge would cost. It would be a pretty tall bridge which got me wondering what the tallest urban bridge in Oklahoma is. I wish they'd build it I bet it would get a decent amount of traffic and spur development in the area.

[HOT ROD]

My feeling is the Santa Fe bridge would nicely connect that area, a rapidly densifying location that's cut off by two intersecting interstate freeways. Today you have to either get on I-235 or jog over to Classen or all the way to Kelly Ave then backtrack once on 63rd or Grand.

There's also the added benefit of having arguably the city's (if not the state's) tallest bridge; further expanding that interchange into a proper 5-stack.

[Pete]

[Plutonic Panda]

Note sure if this has been posted here before but they need to better post signage on the flyover ramp that goes from EB I-44 to NB Broadway Extension because it is easy to be in the wrong lane and either end up on 63rd or on the shoulder trying to get in the right lane. Though I am becoming less and less of a fan of this proposal every time I think of it, ODOT's plan to sign the Kilpatrick as I-240 would allow for I-235 to be extended to the Kilpatrick. Should that happen, they should paint the lanes with interstate shields like they do on I-40 at the I-35 junction.

PS, great pics Pete!

[mugofbeer]

Getting so close you can almost taste it!

[Pete]

They are really moving.

With nothing but warm and dry weather in the forecast, I bet everything is done sometime in January.

[Plutonic Panda]

I will try and get my boots and go investigate but is there room for the Deep Fork Creek Trail extension? It doesn't look like it per the drone shots.

[OKCDrummer77]

Note sure if this has been posted here before but they need to better post signage on the flyover ramp that goes from EB I-44 to NB Broadway Extension because it is easy to be in the wrong lane and either end up on 63rd or on the shoulder trying to get in the right lane. Though I am becoming less and less of a fan of this proposal every time I think of it, ODOT's plan to sign the Kilpatrick as I-240 would allow for I-235 to be extended to the Kilpatrick. Should that happen, they should paint the lanes with interstate shields like they do on I-40 at the I-35 junction.

PS, great pics Pete!

They've recently installed new signage that is pretty clear to me. The sign over the left lane says "77 North - Edmond" and the sign over the right lane says "NW 63rd St" and has the yellow "Exit Only" tab.

[Plutonic Panda]

They've recently installed new signage that is pretty clear to me. The sign over the left lane says "77 North - Edmond" and the sign over the right lane says "NW 63rd St" and has the yellow "Exit Only" tab.

I will drive it again today. Last time all I saw was the sign that is about a hundred feet before the split.

[MagzOK]

I'm interested to see how they stripe EB I44 through the interchange. While I'm not a huge fan of the half cloverleaf there, I have to think by taking out the old cloverleaf from EB44 to NB77, there won't be competing traffic fighting over a couple hundred feet of merging those two movements under the old setup (those getting off SB77 to EB44, and those going from EB44 to NB77.). Lots of wrecks and wrangles there with the constant merging, especially during rush hour.

[bucktalk]

The bigger challenge with all this improvement is keeping all the highway lights on in that area. Considering the constant inability to keep the lights on, on many of the the interchanges in OKC, I have doubts this interchange will stay lit for long.

[jn1780]

I'm interested to see how they stripe EB I44 through the interchange. While I'm not a huge fan of the half cloverleaf there, I have to think by taking out the old cloverleaf from EB44 to NB77, there won't be competing traffic fighting over a couple hundred feet of merging those two movements under the old setup (those getting off SB77 to EB44, and those going from EB44 to NB77.). Lots of wrecks and wrangles there with the constant merging, especially during rush hour.

Looks like there should be plenty of merge space for EB traffic once WB is shifted back to its own side.

[Plutonic Panda]

They've recently installed new signage that is pretty clear to me. The sign over the left lane says "77 North - Edmond" and the sign over the right lane says "NW 63rd St" and has the yellow "Exit Only" tab.

Yeah I saw it this time.

[SSEiYah]

Pete,

This is an great photo, great angle.

This is a heck of an improvement from when I was last bitching about this intersection 11 years ago when I started the thread. I appreciate your dedication into keeping this community going.

[Pete]

Took these this (Sunday 12/26) morning.

Before they can shift the southbound traffic to the western-most southbound bridge, they have to complete the two cloverleaves and I-44 under the new bridges. They are moving fast so hopefully that will happen in the next week or two and then they can finish up the remaining work and open everything in the final configuration. As I had posted before, an ODOT rep told me they could be pretty much done by the end of January if the weather stays nice.

[bombermwc]

Took these this (Sunday 12/26) morning.

Before they can shift the southbound traffic to the western-most southbound bridge, they have to complete the two cloverleaves and I-44 under the new bridges. They are moving fast so hopefully that will happen in the next week or two and then they can finish up the remaining work and open everything in the final configuration. As I had posted before, an ODOT rep told me they could be pretty much done by the end of January if the weather stays nice.

Do you know if that includes the I-44 east/west portion as well with all the temporary shifts/cones/lines/etc? Or is that just the main 235 run?

[Snowman]

Do you know if that includes the I-44 east/west portion as well with all the temporary shifts/cones/lines/etc? Or is that just the main 235 run?

They have an entire phase going westbound I-44, updating the ramps of Lincoln/I-44/I-235, so even if the shifts end soon there probably will still be some construction in that area for another year or two.

[jn1780]

They have an entire phase going westbound I-44, updating the ramps of Lincoln/I-44/I-235, so even if the shifts end soon there probably will still be some construction in that area for another year or two.

Have they approved bids for that yet? I think that may be another year before that section starts.

[Snowman]

Have they approved bids for that yet? I think that may be another year before that section starts.

Probably not, the funding was projected to 2023 funding year in the 8 year plan. Though that was before the national infrastructure bill passed, so there may be funds available for this sooner.

[HFAA Alum]

They have an entire phase going westbound I-44, updating the ramps of Lincoln/I-44/I-235, so even if the shifts end soon there probably will still be some construction in that area for another year or two.

Are there any renders or layouts of how this will be done, I'm interested in seeing it due to how close this will be to the new living complex that will be situated on the service road just north of it.

[Snowman]

Are there any renders or layouts of how this will be done, I'm interested in seeing it due to how close this will be to the new living complex that will be situated on the service road just north of it.

I don't think any renders have been released to the public showing this far east, there are a couple rough layouts

from ODOT


The Oklahoman also has a couple graphics zoomed further in at this page, they may not be as accurate on lane locations but it does convey better how traffic exiting i44 to Broadway Extension NB will no longer be interacting with traffic taking the Lincoln on ramp to i44.

[Plutonic Panda]

Now the city really should have pushed to try and get a second railroad bridge built or one that has capacity for double tracks. It will be needed for commuter rail traffic.

[Pete]

[Plutonic Panda]

It’s borderline miraculous there wasn’t a big pile up during all this. Driving on I-44 under the interchange is pretty risky.

[Anonymous.]

Wow that temporary ramp for WB 44 to SB 235 is insane. Basically a right turn.