I-44 and Pennsylvania Tractor-Trailer Accident Magnet

[Brett]

I have noticed that anytime there is precipitation, the location of I-44 and Pennsylvania is a magnet for accidents involving tractor-trailers. Is there something that the DOT can do to curb this problem? Has DOT performed a study counting the number of accidents involving tractor-trailers at this location? Is it too much to ask DOT to look into this issue?

I would like to see DOT erect warning signs and flashing signals much like what is in place at Tinker Diagonal and Air Depot. To my knowledge, there hasn't been many accidents on Tinker Diagonal at Air Depot involving tractor-trailers after the installation of the warning signs and flashing signals.

[David]

I have lived very close to there for about five years now, and I have lost track of the number of accidents I have seen semis have on that exact spot.

There definitely needs to be additional warning signs of some sort.

[LakeEffect]

The turn from I-44 NB/EB to the east, merging with 39th, also attracts a lot of crashing semis... not sure why this stretch does that. I would guess that ODOT is pushing off making bigger changes because they're trying to get studying for a full roadway overhaul of the entire Belle Isle stretch of I-44.

[Pete]

It seems that elevated highways are always problematic in lots of ways.

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

Looks like another one tonight/Friday that has closed I-44, but the accident is closer to May Ave.

[oklip955]

It seems that elevated highways are always problematic in lots of ways.

Pete, one of my thoughts on this is the multiple exits via left lane and then the exits from the right lane, cause lots of people to do a lot of lane changing to be in the correct lane. I've had people suddenly cross in front of me, then hit their brakes to make an exit. Large trucks simply cannot stop or slow down on a dime when a small car or other vehicle suddenly changes lanes into your lane then hits the brakes. I wish they would rebuild the entire area to have consistent exits and to also get rid of that elevated section with the curves. Horrible when it ices up.

[Snowman]

Pete, one of my thoughts on this is the multiple exits via left lane and then the exits from the right lane, cause lots of people to do a lot of lane changing to be in the correct lane. I've had people suddenly cross in front of me, then hit their brakes to make an exit. Large trucks simply cannot stop or slow down on a dime when a small car or other vehicle suddenly changes lanes into your lane then hits the brakes. I wish they would rebuild the entire area to have consistent exits and to also get rid of that elevated section with the curves. Horrible when it ices up.

Even heavy rain seems to bog down this area worse than the rest of the freeways, though again that probably is compounded by the issue of having multiple entrances/exits on both sides of the road somewhat near each other.

[David]

I would not expect that entrances and exits on the left side and right side is this issue for many of these accidents, all of the ones I am familiar with that happened at 44 and Penn were on EB 44, and there are only right side ramps along that stretch of the interstate until you get all the way past Western.

[Bits_Of_Real_Panther]

The walkable environment below and around this area is horrendous. That belle isle / penn square area is a cluster for pedestrians

[Bits_Of_Real_Panther]

#Facts

Why do we accept this?

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

And yet another this afternoon. I did not realize how many wrecks happen in this area, it's not a section of I-44 I take too often. Today the semi had a fire as well.

[Buffalo Bill]

And yet another this afternoon. I did not realize how many wrecks happen in this area, it's not a section of I-44 I take too often. Today the semi had a fire as well.

Another.

https://www.koco.com/article/semi-tr...-city/36641057

[David]

Another.

https://www.koco.com/article/semi-tr...-city/36641057

For once that is somewhat further along 44, it's far closer to NW Expressway than Penn.

https://goo.gl/maps/xvbRWtDjSSDW8svd9 is the best approximation I could come up with for the location on Google Maps matching the picture in the article. Driver tried his best to go down the hill into the drainage culvert.

[Brett]

Another semi crash which resulted in a trailer full of meat catching fire over the holiday weekend. There was a sudden splash and dash downpour in the area that was probably the cause of the accident.

https://www.news9.com/story/62c2264e...-i44-near-penn

[Plutonic Panda]

This is purely anecdotal but it seems like OKC has really poor drainage in many parts of the city. It doesn’t take much rain to overload the drainage system. I haven’t noticed that as much in other cities.

[LocoAko]

This is purely anecdotal but it seems like OKC has really poor drainage in many parts of the city. It doesn’t take much rain to overload the drainage system. I haven’t noticed that as much in other cities.

FWIW there was hardly any rain—maybe a few hundedths of an inch. If rain played a role it was almost certainly because it hadn't rained in nearly a month and a quick shower made the roads very slick with accumulated oil, etc., not because of flooding.

I saw the smoke plume go up from my living room window. It was very large and dramatic for a time.

[MagzOK]

Going eastbound there is no tilt in the highway so you're going full speed around a curve where the gravity keeps the weight naturally moving forward. ODOT needed to create a slight embankment on the curve. That would solve a lot of problems. I noticed a lot of that when I moved here 25 years ago. Same problem with the I-40 Tinker curve, same problem at the I-35/I-40 junction going over the river on the east part of the interchange. Quite frankly when they spent millions on that interchange with all those new ramps, it was absolutely absurd they didn't straighten that out. Sure it would have made a much longer bridge, but it would have taken out that crappy curve.

Back to the Belle Isle, I don't think there is really anything on the docket for improvements is there? The left exits there are out of the old highway manual meaning new interstate standards do not allow for left exits because it causes unnecessary dangerous maneuvers. Personally I can't tell you how many times I've seen people bolt from the right lane almost straight across traffic to catch that left exit for NW Expressway. Same with EB there with cars coming off of Classen trying to dart across all the way to the right to hit the 77 exit.

[Pete]

^

Yes, curves in that area are very much like cloverleaves, but with no banking and vehicles traveling at very high speed.

It all adds up to inertia which is very hard to stop when something goes wrong.

[mugofbeer]

I would think surface and weather sensors tied to flashing/changing speed limit signs could be a "relatively" cheap alternative until there is a rebuild.

[rte66man]

Going eastbound there is no tilt in the highway so you're going full speed around a curve where the gravity keeps the weight naturally moving forward. ODOT needed to create a slight embankment on the curve. That would solve a lot of problems. I noticed a lot of that when I moved here 25 years ago. Same problem with the I-40 Tinker curve, same problem at the I-35/I-40 junction going over the river on the east part of the interchange. Quite frankly when they spent millions on that interchange with all those new ramps, it was absolutely absurd they didn't straighten that out. Sure it would have made a much longer bridge, but it would have taken out that crappy curve.

Back to the Belle Isle, I don't think there is really anything on the docket for improvements is there? The left exits there are out of the old highway manual meaning new interstate standards do not allow for left exits because it causes unnecessary dangerous maneuvers. Personally I can't tell you how many times I've seen people bolt from the right lane almost straight across traffic to catch that left exit for NW Expressway. Same with EB there with cars coming off of Classen trying to dart across all the way to the right to hit the 77 exit.

ODOT's 8 year plan has something in there for pavement rehabilitation for the stretch from Deadman's Curve east to I-235 in FFY2028. That part has already been retrofitted with dowel bars and at least one diamond grinding. Asphalt overlay??

IIRC, they just did a study on that stretch last year. I'll see if I can dig up the link.

[unfundedrick]

Going eastbound there is no tilt in the highway so you're going full speed around a curve where the gravity keeps the weight naturally moving forward. ODOT needed to create a slight embankment on the curve. That would solve a lot of problems. I noticed a lot of that when I moved here 25 years ago. Same problem with the I-40 Tinker curve, same problem at the I-35/I-40 junction going over the river on the east part of the interchange. Quite frankly when they spent millions on that interchange with all those new ramps, it was absolutely absurd they didn't straighten that out. Sure it would have made a much longer bridge, but it would have taken out that crappy curve.

Back to the Belle Isle, I don't think there is really anything on the docket for improvements is there? The left exits there are out of the old highway manual meaning new interstate standards do not allow for left exits because it causes unnecessary dangerous maneuvers. Personally I can't tell you how many times I've seen people bolt from the right lane almost straight across traffic to catch that left exit for NW Expressway. Same with EB there with cars coming off of Classen trying to dart across all the way to the right to hit the 77 exit.

There have at least been some studies done about removing the Belle Isle bridge/ I'm not aware of any definite plans approved to do that, however.

https://www.newson6.com/story/5e34b1...le-isle-bridge

[Brett]

Another rain storm, another tractor-trailer accident.

Two escape injury after semi truck cab goes over highway bridge

[Pete]

^

The curves are far too tight for interstate traffic and speeds.

There is also a close cluster of on- and off-ramps in that area which makes it even more dangerous.

[bombermwc]

Same happens in MWC at Air Depot. Far too sharp of a curve for interstate speeds. There, they put up a massive sign with flashing lights and honestly, it does seem to have reduced the number of people slamming in to the divider wall. Maybe something similar should be put in here?

[Ward]

I've been telling people for many years to stay off of what I call the Bell Isle Bridge.

It has been dangerous ever since it's been put in service.

I refuse to drive on it in inclement weather, I just get off of I-44 nearby and take the city surface streets around.

It really makes you wonder how and why a highway component is designed and built to such horrible standards. In fact I think it should be criminal.