I-235 / I-44 Interchange

[Pete]

Press release:

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Motorists now ‘On Broadway’ after I-235/I-44 opening celebration
Transportation officials raised the curtain Thursday afternoon on the last major act that will significantly impact traffic at the I-235/I-44 interchange, which puts motorists back “On Broadway” after three years of construction.

Thursday’s celebration with Gov. Kevin Stitt, Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, local and state officials opens to traffic a critical interchange that moves nearly 100,000 vehicles daily between the northern portion of the metro area and the city’s center with access to Downtown, Midtown, Bricktown, the Boathouse District, the State Capitol Complex and more.

“Thanks to Secretary Gatz and his team at ODOT, today’s opening of the I-235/I-44 interchange is the culmination of more than 30 years of community involvement, planning and construction. It’s a huge step forward in improving our urban transportation system,” said Gov. Kevin Stitt. “Thanks also goes to our legislators, who in recent years have invested in our transportation infrastructure with dedicated funding avenues, to meet not only today’s needs but also needs well into the future. While thousands will be thrilled to see construction come to an end at this key interchange, we must continue to improve our highway network as the economy and population of the Oklahoma City metro area continues to grow.”

This $105 million, three-year-long project widened I-235 to six lanes and up to eight lanes in some areas between N. 50th St. and N. 63rd St. The reconstruction includes 11 new bridges in the 1-mile-long work zone. Crews built two flyover ramps to move traffic more efficiently and safely through the interchange, and made this the first four-level interchange on the state interstate system. The flyover ramps also replaced the northeastern and southeastern loop ramps.

“ODOT has invested nearly $400 million in the I-235 and US-77/Broadway Extension corridor to meet traffic demand across the growing Oklahoma City metro area and to significantly improve safety,” Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz said. “This herculean feat could not have happened without significant partnerships. We want to thank the Legislature and the Governor for their support as well as recognize the hundreds of ODOT employees and contractors who made this corridor improvement possible. Specifically, we want to recognize motorists for their commitment to using ‘Off Broadway’ alternate routes for the past five years, making this corridor safer for them and workers.”

Thursday’s opening brings to a close almost 11 years of construction to modernize the I-235/I-44 interchange and includes highlights such as adding traffic capacity, significantly lessening the chance of flooding along the corridor and the 2018 installation of the 45-foot-tall railroad truss bridge over I-235 using construction techniques new to Oklahoma. The railroad bridge move-in along I-235 also drew hundreds of spectators to the site during the 60-hour interstate closure, and was viewed live by thousands on a dedicated live stream video.

OFF BROADWAY I-235 TIMELINE

Act 1 in 2011: I-235/US-77 ramp to I-44, $23 million
Act 2 in 2013: I-44 ramp to I-235 and the I-44 merge area to US-77, $9 million
Act 3 in 2017: I-235 widening between N. 36th and N. 50th St., $88 million
Act 4 in 2019: I-235/I-44 interchange adding two flyover ramps, $105 million
Act 5 in 2023: I-44 to US-77 ramp, connect from N. Lincoln Blvd., estimated $16 million
Previous CIP phases 1998 to 2008: Widening and reconstruction US-77/Broadway Ext. between I-44 and Edmond, $140 million

The state Legislature provided funding for a massive Capital Improvement Project program to improve corridors of economic significance, which included the widening of US-77/Broadway Ext. between I-44 and Edmond. Those projects began in the mid-1990s and continued under the stewardship of several governors. The adoption of ODOT’s Eight-Year Construction Work Plan and ultimately the creation of the ROADS Fund in 2005 by the Legislature paved the way to federal matching funds for the five interchange reconstruction phases. This $241 million construction investment helps improve safety and provides a direct connection from the metro’s northern portion to its center core.

This intense effort involved hundreds of workers at all levels from design to construction, and included multiple engineering design firms, contractors, sub-contractors and ODOT personnel. Originally, projected at seven phases, this became a five-act production with an estimated $16 million project scheduled for 2023 to revamp the westbound I-44 ramp to northbound US-77/Broadway Ext. and provide a direct connection from N. Lincoln Blvd. to US-77. This final act is not expected to impact the main interchange traffic in a significant way.

[MagzOK]

So I was at Charleston's- Edmond yesterday evening for dinner at about 5:30. NB US-77 traffic was completely backed up from 33rd all the way back passed the Comfort Drive signal there in front of the Discount Tire/Mercedes Benz dealership. I reckon that's about a mile. With this interchange (I44/235) completely clog-free now, traffic is generally unimpeded now all the way north. Edmond better pick up the pace on their "smart" transportation system. Someone mentioned a very long time ago in this thread that this would happen, and it most certainly has.

[scottk]

So I was at Charleston's- Edmond yesterday evening for dinner at about 5:30. NB US-77 traffic was completely backed up from 33rd all the way back passed the Comfort Drive signal there in front of the Discount Tire/Mercedes Benz dealership. I reckon that's about a mile. With this interchange (I44/235) completely clog-free now, traffic is generally unimpeded now all the way north. Edmond better pick up the pace on their "smart" transportation system. Someone mentioned a very long time ago in this thread that this would happen, and it most certainly has.

The logic of basically dead ending a freeway at the south entrance to your town and then have an array of untimed stoplights for the past 20 years is beyond me. However, at least newly built signs in Edmond aren't over 72".

[Plutonic Panda]

Overpasses should be added at Comfort Dr., 33rd, and 15th to allow thru traffic to bypass the lights. They also should collector/distributor roads from Comfort Dr. to 15th and make Broadway into more of a freeway/expressway hybrid with no traffic lights for through traffic. That would go a very long ways to helping with Edmond traffic move a bit quicker.

It’ll also be nice once they get commuter rail going hopefully once or twice an hour to OKC.

[Snowman]

Overpasses should be added at Comfort Dr., 33rd, and 15th to allow thru traffic to bypass the lights. They also should collector/distributor roads from Comfort Dr. to 15th and make Broadway into more of a freeway/expressway hybrid with no traffic lights for through traffic. That would go a very long ways to helping with Edmond traffic move a bit quicker.

It’ll also be nice once they get commuter rail going hopefully once or twice an hour to OKC.

It seemed dumb idea to even add the light at Comfort like a decade ago

[Plutonic Panda]

It seemed dumb idea to even add the light at Comfort like a decade ago

Yeah but a great way to introduce incoming traffic to Edmond, stop light city where we must have a traffic signal at every intersection because other options exist!

[warreng88]

I drove it this weekend and noticed the east side of I-44 still seemed unfinished with temp barriers. I assume those will be replaced with permanent barriers, maybe as part of the next phase on the I-44/Lincoln part?

[jn1780]

I drove it this weekend and noticed the east side of I-44 still seemed unfinished with temp barriers. I assume those will be replaced with permanent barriers, maybe as part of the next phase on the I-44/Lincoln part?

Not sure about east side, but westbound side for sure is because of the I-44/Lincoln project. The I-235 on ramp there is using asphalt instead of concrete.

[Pete]

All the barrels are gone and everything is wide open. I guess that's a wrap for my photography on this project.

[5alive]

Hard to believe it's over. Always looked forward to the latest pictures. Gotta find a new project now!

[OKCDrummer77]

Hard to believe it's over. Always looked forward to the latest pictures. Gotta find a new project now!

The I-35/I-240 junction should be next on the docket. Between that and the ACCESS Turnpike extensions, there will be plenty to keep up with in the coming years.

[HangryHippo]

The I-35/I-240 junction should be next on the docket. Between that and the ACCESS Turnpike extensions, there will be plenty to keep up with in the coming years.

They need to fix 35/240 and 40/44 before they do one damn thing for ACCESS.

[mugofbeer]

I hope we don't need to hit 90 thread pages on the l-35/l-240 thread. 😀

[David]

The final set of pictures being snow-covered is a neat touch.

[DowntownMan]

They need to fix 35/240 and 40/44 before they do one damn thing for ACCESS.

They are not from same funding so won’t matter. 240\35 will be starting later this year and I think move quickly with all phases together rather than over 10 years like we saw here.

[Laramie]

Dayton, OH Mayor Nan Whaley and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt.


National Conference of State Legislators: https://www.ncsl.org/ncsl-in-dc/publ...resources.aspx


February 23, 2022: Fact Sheet: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Delivering Results 100 Days into Infrastructure Implementation: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-...mplementation/

^ ^ ^ Does anyone know if any of our agencies, state, counties & cities are applying for these grants/funds... ^ ^ ^

First-Year Airport Infrastructure Grant Funding Amounts - Oklahoma $27,447,942

OK LAW Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Lawton $ 1,033,984

OK OUN University of Oklahoma Westheimer Norman $ 295,000
OK OKC Will Rogers World Oklahoma City $ 6,677,636
OK PWA Wiley Post Oklahoma City $ 763,000

OK SWO Stillwater Regional Stillwater $ 1,019,233

OK TUL Tulsa International Tulsa $ 5,680,089
OK RVS Richard Lloyd Jones Jr Tulsa $ 763,000

[Laramie]

.

If anyone watched Flashpoint this morning, it was refreshing to hear that Oklahoma's total infrastructure funds from the recently passed 1.2 trillion bill will exceed a total of $11.2 billion according to State Senator James Leewright (R- Bristow, OK ) which includes tribal funds.

There are still more funds that Oklahoma can secure thru grants.; also, no strings attached requiring matching funds to receive this money.

.

[rte66man]

Nah, just a break until the last part of the project starts (the connection between Lincoln Blvd, I44, and US77 including a direct connection from NB Lincoln to NB US77)

[pw405]

On Friday I took the 235 Northbound to I44 Westbound flyover. It was partially closed while some work was being done. There was a pink substance spread over the lane and a few trucks working. Traffic was squeezed to the shoulder, but was still flowing better than before the flyover was built!

Any idea what the pink stuff is? Was there an industrial size Pepto Bismol spill?

[Brett]

Any idea what the pink stuff is? Was there an industrial size Pepto Bismol spill?

Could it be sand blasting medium?

[catch22]

I've never seen that before in road construction. Occam's Razor suggests that it was probably a previous spill from an accident unrelated to the construction activity that day, or the construction activity is related to removing it.

[LakeEffect]

TO me, it appeared to be a crack-detecting method. The ODOT press release said the bridge would be narrowed for "routine bridge work" and the pink powder compound really highlights the tiny cracks that form in concrete over time.

[bombermwc]

Good to know that we already have to check for cracks on a bridge that's only a few years old. Quality work there.

[catch22]

Good to know that we already have to check for cracks on a bridge that's only a few years old. Quality work there.

The two hard truths in life: ice cream melts, and concrete cracks. If that is indeed what they are doing it is good they are checking early.

[jn1780]

The two hard truths in life: ice cream melts, and concrete cracks. If that is indeed what they are doing it is good they are checking early.

And this may just be a post construction inspection that gets triggered a few months after completion. If they have to use "pink stuff" to detect cracks better, that tells me its not super obvious.