Access Oklahoma Turnpike Projects

[jompster]

The priority will be to widen the Turner all the way to Oklahoma City.

I have to agree on this point. The Turner in its current two-lane form has become quite dangerous. (Looking at those burn marks all over the pavement will kind of cement that impression.) Get that thing sorted out to three-lane all the way and restrict trucks to the right two lanes like the portion between Bristow and Tulsa. It's much safer and flows much better.

[UrbanistPoke]

I have to agree on this point. The Turner in its current two-lane form has become quite dangerous. (Looking at those burn marks all over the pavement will kind of cement that impression.) Get that thing sorted out to three-lane all the way and restrict trucks to the right two lanes like the portion between Bristow and Tulsa. It's much safer and flows much better.

I don't understand why OTA hasn't put up signs like that on the 3 lane sections already. Just the other day going into Tulsa there were 3 semi's going 60 MPH trying to pass each other for almost the entire portion between Bristow to the Sapulpa gate. Blocking every car from being able to pass or drive the actual posted speed limit.

[Plutonic Panda]

I don't understand why OTA hasn't put up signs like that on the 3 lane sections already. Just the other day going into Tulsa there were 3 semi's going 60 MPH trying to pass each other for almost the entire portion between Bristow to the Sapulpa gate. Blocking every car from being able to pass or drive the actual posted speed limit.

The segment closer to tulsa is planned to be further expanded to include dedicated truck lanes.

[UrbanistPoke]

The segment closer to tulsa is planned to be further expanded to include dedicated truck lanes.

I mean I wouldn't put it past OTA to dream up something like that, but does not seem practical at all. Where did you hear that from? Wouldn't make much financial sense to expand and rip up a section they just finished. 3 lanes each direction is fine, they just need to ticket and enforce a 'trucks in right two lanes only' policy. They don't need a 4th lane with a trucks only lane. Then you'd have trucks in all 4 lanes blocking everyone going 60 mph trying to pass each other at the speed of 0.1 MPH each haha.

[Plutonic Panda]

I mean I wouldn't put it past OTA to dream up something like that, but does not seem practical at all. Where did you hear that from? Wouldn't make much financial sense to expand and rip up a section they just finished. 3 lanes each direction is fine, they just need to ticket and enforce a 'trucks in right two lanes only' policy. They don't need a 4th lane with a trucks only lane. Then you'd have trucks in all 4 lanes blocking everyone going 60 mph trying to pass each other at the speed of 0.1 MPH each haha.

They won’t tear the road up. It’ll be an expansion on each side of the new road. I saw it in the description for the Driving Forward Program which said it included a design for future truck lanes to be installed and I called and they confirmed.

It would likely be an additional two lanes each way on its own facility if it’s anything like other truck lanes I’ve seen.

[UrbanistPoke]

They won’t tear the road up. It’ll be an expansion on each side of the new road. I saw it in the description for the Driving Forward Program which said it included a design for future truck lanes to be installed and I called and they confirmed.

It would likely be an additional two lanes each way on its own facility if it’s anything like other truck lanes I’ve seen.

That definitely feels unnecessary but OTA does love to spend money. I did relook at aerial maps and they do have some very wide right of way and looks like some of the bridges they did build to like 150 feet wide in that section from Bristow into Tulsa. If they really are planning to build something like how managed toll lanes work in Texas and other places with being completely separated I can only imagine how astronomical the cost for all the new on/off ramps, etc. need for completely separate areas. And if they weren't completely separated like that I don't really see the point in it either. There's not that much traffic - it does need to be 6 lanes all the way but not more than that and enforce the trucks in right 2 lanes only.

If they want to spend that I'd much rather see them dedicate the right of way to high speed rail. They have enough space for it and just allow OTA become a full fledged transit organization so they can profit off the rail line too and no political power struggle inside ODOT that way either. It wouldn't take a ton of modification on grade issues to likely be able to run a train 100+ mph along that right of way area if they buy up 150+ feet the entire way down to I-35 in OKC.

[mugofbeer]

I don't understand why OTA hasn't put up signs like that on the 3 lane sections already. Just the other day going into Tulsa there were 3 semi's going 60 MPH trying to pass each other for almost the entire portion between Bristow to the Sapulpa gate. Blocking every car from being able to pass or drive the actual posted speed limit.

I absolutely love truckers except for this one issue - one passing the other at .001 MPH faster than the other.....