Odot

[BoulderSooner]

Pretty disappointing to see the 35/240 interchange get pushed back even further. Such a dangerous intersection. Why this isn’t priority numero uno is beyond me.

40 / 44 is even worse .. and bottle necks worse ..

[vaflyer]

The agenda for the October transportation committee meeting states that Phase 1B of the I-35/I-240 interchange will be bid out in December 2022 (usually the commission does NOT take December bids) and the last phase of I-235/I-44 will be bid out in January 2023.

https://www.odot.org/tcomm/agendas22...a-202210-r.pdf (pages 93 & 95)

Plus, the contracts for I-35 at NW 63rd Street (and some of the I-35/I-44 ramps) and the widening of I-40 from Douglas to I-240 (and the Douglas interchange) were recently bid out.
As a result, there will be plenty of road construction in the metro come spring.

FYI: The I-40/Douglas project was bid out at the October 2022 meeting for $158 million.

[BoulderSooner]

The agenda for the October transportation committee meeting states that Phase 1B of the I-35/I-240 interchange will be bid out in December 2022.

this is 1B

https://www.interstate-guide.com/i-240-ok/#iLightbox[i-240]/1

[Plutonic Panda]

Weird so why does the 8yr plan then show the project in 2025 if it’s on the agenda for 2023?

[BoulderSooner]

Weird so why does the 8yr plan then show the project in 2025 if it’s on the agenda for 2023?

that is phase II, III, and IV

[HangryHippo]

40 / 44 is even worse .. and bottle necks worse ..

This! It’s awful and needed fixed yesterday.

[MagzOK]

this is 1B

https://www.interstate-guide.com/i-240-ok/#iLightbox[i-240]/1

Check out the inserts. There's one from 1976 which shows proposed future interstate routes around the metro and they include outer loop routes, though not exactly along the current routes proposed by OTA but pretty similar. The idea has always been there.

[Bunty]

What about more road money from the Feds? Probably not, since the entire Oklahoma Congressional delegation probably believes in fiscal restraint and blames inflation on much stepped-up government spending to counter the Pandemic. So, they will probably steer more money for roads to other states, if it becomes available.

[Video Expert]

didn't realize we had been experiencing out of control inflation in oklahoma for over 10 years. interesting.

We haven't. Just in the last 2 years as we all know. He was theorizing why ODOT had recently pushed back some of the projects they had previously moved up on the schedule.

[Plutonic Panda]

We haven't. Just in the last 2 years as we all know. He was theorizing why ODOT had recently pushed back some of the projects they had previously moved up on the schedule.

I can’t find my original comment it must have been deleted and for good reason I should have phrased it better. No, it isn’t the entire fault is to be blamed on conservatives but Oklahoma could easily better fund ODOT if they wanted to. They just choose not to in the name of low taxes.

[MagzOK]

I can’t find my original comment it must have been deleted and for good reason I should have phrased it better. No, it isn’t the entire fault is to be blamed on conservatives but Oklahoma could easily better fund ODOT if they wanted to. They just choose not to in the name of low taxes.

Well, Oklahoma could just fund the state much better across the board.

Part of the issue is the lack of federal transportation dollars in comparison to other states. Oklahoma continues to be a donor state in terms of paying more taxes to the FEDS than we get in return for transportation projects, so the state is behind from the get-go.

[Plutonic Panda]

ODOT is starting to implement wrong way driving detection systems on major interstates:

https://www.koco.com/article/oklahom...rash/41891405#

[fortpatches]

Oklahoma continues to be a donor state in terms of paying more taxes to the FEDS than we get in return for transportation projects....

Where would you find numbers for this? I did a quick search, but I don't really know what you mean by "in return for transportation projects".

This! It’s awful and needed fixed yesterday.

This intersection is so stupid. I really think with some simple and cheap changes here the congestion could be mostly corrected.

[MagzOK]

Here's an example similar to what ODOT used to preach when trying to muster up support for a gas tax increase over the last 20-30 years here in Oklahoma to make up for the lack of federal funding:

https://www.txdot.gov/about/financia...for-texas.html

I know this is Texas, but I don't recall ODOT ever posting anything like this on their website.

Here's an article from entrans that states the Biden Administration is attempting to reverse the trend with his signature of the Transportation Act in 2021:

https://www.enotrans.org/article/hig...-states-r-i-p/

It was horrible in the late 90's / 2000's which is why Oklahoma legislators approved the CIP fund, their $1 Billion for transportation projects.

There are more returns on Google searches of the subject. Many states have been unhappy about it for decades as they see their transportation systems erode.

[Rover]

Well, Oklahoma could just fund the state much better across the board.

Part of the issue is the lack of federal transportation dollars in comparison to other states. Oklahoma continues to be a donor state in terms of paying more taxes to the FEDS than we get in return for transportation projects, so the state is behind from the get-go.

One, Oklahoma’s congressional delegation has little real influence and respect as a group.
Two, we don’t have good planning and a state commitment to help fund quality projects to gain fed support.

State leadership has been more about lifestyle than actual pragmatic leadership. Attracting businesses because we have a cheap labor pool and cheap housing is a losing strategy.

[bombermwc]

Well what happened on Tuesday is not going to help out on those matters. I would argue that we're now worse off after Tuesday.

Good luck getting education moving in a positive direction now. We've already lost at least one major deal due to the state of our education. That company said that it was a contributing factor to choosing Kansas over us. With the plans these elected folks ( i wont even both saying their names ) have in store for the state, forget being 49th, we're going to pass Mississippi and solidly get in to 50th position. Nothing but bad is happening and if you think you have a teacher shortage now, wait until next school year. I expect another mass exodus as the new superintendent starts deploying his plans.

Rural Oklahoma, you did it. And you're going to get the schools that you deserve now because of it.

[MagzOK]

^^

We should steer this back to topic and keep the political comments in the political section. You both take care.

[fortpatches]

Here's an article from entrans that states the Biden Administration is attempting to reverse the trend with his signature of the Transportation Act in 2021:

https://www.enotrans.org/article/hig...-states-r-i-p/

It was horrible in the late 90's / 2000's which is why Oklahoma legislators approved the CIP fund, their $1 Billion for transportation projects.

Woah that is awesome. The charts and data are actually really easily found and aren't convoluted. I just jumped around a little looking at 93 (p. 16), 95, 97, 98-03, and 2010 - looks like it was a low ratio through the 90's with a peak in 97 and then in 2001-2002. Then at least by 2010 the total average ratio was 1.00 with nearly a 1.5 ratio for the year.

This is a lot of pretty cool data - thanks for helping me find it.

[MagzOK]

Woah that is awesome. The charts and data are actually really easily found and aren't convoluted. I just jumped around a little looking at 93 (p. 16), 95, 97, 98-03, and 2010 - looks like it was a low ratio through the 90's with a peak in 97 and then in 2001-2002. Then at least by 2010 the total average ratio was 1.00 with nearly a 1.5 ratio for the year.

This is a lot of pretty cool data - thanks for helping me find it.

You're welcome. Historically the larger populations in the northeast have received the most money from Washington and a lot of it is due to the needs earlier-on in terms of growing capacity, etc. The numbers are showing that it's slowly been reversing. I mean, I can't fault that thinking back in the day especially when our roads out here were, well, much newer if you want to call it that. But the pendulum has been swinging back to us because our highways and roads have deteriorated to the point many are becoming dangerous. I think the state has made great strides in trying to recover, but I know there's a lot of work to be done. I do think there needs to be some changes within ODOT to become more modernized, maybe some younger minds in roadway and design, right-of-way. For example, I've always been critical of the way ODOT buys up so much right-of-way for urban interchanges. They still believe in having the long and curved entrance/exit ramps, etc., but all that does is create more grassy areas that are ultimately unkept, overgrown, and ugly. The freeways in the DFW metro area are fantastic and even though they have more capacity they have generally a much lesser footprint with their service roads abutted right up next to the freeways and well placed entrance and exit ramps. Anyway, I could go on and on.

[Plutonic Panda]

Oklahoma is set to receive 2.1 billion for roads and transportation infrastructure. It would be nice to see projects expedited.

https://kfor.com/news/local/oklahoma...-more-to-come/

[Video Expert]

Oklahoma is set to receive 2.1 billion for roads and transportation infrastructure. It would be nice to see projects expedited.

https://kfor.com/news/local/oklahoma...-more-to-come/

Don't hold your breath. ODOT must be salivating knowing how many 1950s era Cloverleafs and Left Exits they could build with this $.

[Bunty]

One, Oklahoma’s congressional delegation has little real influence and respect as a group.
Two, we don’t have good planning and a state commitment to help fund quality projects to gain fed support.

State leadership has been more about lifestyle than actual pragmatic leadership. Attracting businesses because we have a cheap labor pool and cheap housing is a losing strategy.

Speaking of cheap labor, business and political leaders say don't raise min. wage. To do so kills jobs and send unemployment rate up. But does that work out in real life? NOPE!

Minimum Wage and Unemployment Rate:
Oklahoma - $7.25, 3.2%
Missouri - $11.10, 2.4%
Nebraska - $9.00, 2.2%

[Bunty]

Speaking of cheap labor, business and political leaders say don't raise min. wage. To do so kills jobs and send unemployment rate up. But does that work out in real life? NOPE!

Minimum Wage and Unemployment Rate:
Oklahoma - $7.25, 3.2%
Missouri - $11.10, 2.4%
Nebraska - $9.00, 2.2%

A raise in Oklahoma min. wage will be needed to attract workers, if ODOT's lower paying jobs don't pay as much as around $9 or $10 an
hour.

[Bored UCO Student]

Oklahoma is set to receive 2.1 billion for roads and transportation infrastructure. It would be nice to see projects expedited.

https://kfor.com/news/local/oklahoma...-more-to-come/

Article mentioned quite literally everything except the $352 million for public transportation that will also be heading our way over the next 5 years.

edit: lmfao my bad, that's unless you want to include the slight mention of it in the second paragraph of the article, despite it being the item we are receiving the second-largest amount of funding for.

[therhett17]

Don't hold your breath. ODOT must be salivating knowing how many 1950s era Cloverleafs and Left Exits they could build with this $.

You got me, I laughed