Oklahoma Factory Shoppes - I40 & Council

[Double Edge]

Yep. Council and Reno is the newest intersection to avoid at all costs. Both my business and home are north of there but I'm learning to cope.

[OKCNDN]

Yep. Council and Reno is the newest intersection to avoid at all costs. Both my business and home are north of there but I'm learning to cope.

What is that which is being built on the northeast corner at Council and Melrose? Is it a school or a church? I haven't been by there in awhile so there isn't any more info on which to base my guess. The last I saw of it was the frame structure.

[Double Edge]

What is that which is being built on the northeast corner at Council and Melrose? Is it a school or a church? I haven't been by there in awhile so there isn't any more info on which to base my guess. The last I saw of it was the frame structure.

A new school to replace the one on the same lot that is further east on Melrose. I believe it is Council Grove Elementary. The exterior of the building is fairly complete.

[stdennis]

Yeah it is Council Grove, the elementary school i attended. Are they replacing or adding on?

[Double Edge]

Totally new building.

[OKCNDN]

So I am guessing this is a maps II project and probably one of the last ones?

[Double Edge]

I'd bet it's a maps II project but not the last one. This had to have bid a year ago for it to be this far along. There have been several that bid since and may even be some still to go but I quit tracking the list a few months ago so I can't say for sure.

[Double Edge]

Here's a report that's a couple of months old. 21 projects still in design phase.

http://www.okc.gov/ocmaps/Resources/...20Feb%2011.pdf

[rcjunkie]

So I am guessing this is a maps II project and probably one of the last ones?

Definately not a Maps project, this is a Western Heights School District bond issue project.

[Larry OKC]

Remember 30% of the MAPS for Kids money went to surrounding school districts (those districts that have kids that live in the OKC city limits but go to other schools).

[redrunner]

Okay guys, let's get this back on topic. Otherwise start a new thread about public schools.

[redrunner]

Bird's eye view of outlet shops.

[Dustin]

^^Fail. 3 out of 4 of the pictures are the same. Very nice view though. Excited for this place to open!

[Double Edge]

This photo is looking west on Reno at the Council intersection. Here's my theory. The concrete base for the existing traffic lights extending across Council to control northbound Council traffic is in the footprint of the new turn lane from Reno and thus has to be replaced or moved. The new signal in question is mounted on a base about where that new light would go. The old light is probably too short to reach if it is moved and more so since they have added a turn lane from northbound Council to Westbound Reno where the control for this additional lane would need to also be on this pole.

So, I think the new signal and base are to replace this existing Northbound Council signal, but they have temporarily mounted it across Reno, perhaps because they wanted to prep and wire it but could not thread it between the utility pole and the existing signal. When they have a crane there to pull the existing signal they will rotate this one, and rotate the lights to face south.

I think they will also have to relocate the southbound Council light for the same reason, it's going to be in the new turn lane. There is a long signal pole laying on the ground on the NE side of the intersection that might be for that purpose.

[OKCNDN]

This photo is looking west on Reno at the Council intersection. Here's my theory. The concrete base for the existing traffic lights extending across Council to control northbound Council traffic is in the footprint of the new turn lane from Reno and thus has to be replaced or moved. The new signal in question is mounted on a base about where that new light would go. The old light is probably too short to reach if it is moved and more so since they have added a turn lane from northbound Council to Westbound Reno where the control for this additional lane would need to also be on this pole.

So, I think the new signal and base are to replace this existing Northbound Council signal, but they have temporarily mounted it across Reno, perhaps because they wanted to prep and wire it but could not thread it between the utility pole and the existing signal. When they have a crane there to pull the existing signal they will rotate this one, and rotate the lights to face south.

I think they will also have to relocate the southbound Council light for the same reason, it's going to be in the new turn lane. There is a long signal pole laying on the ground on the NE side of the intersection that might be for that purpose.

I do not think these lights are capable of twisting. Once they go up they are in a fixed position. If the pole is twisted that could mess up the wiring inside. And the lights cannot be rotated. Even if they could be that would put the red on bottom and green on top which is not how other traffic lights are configured.

[Double Edge]

I do not think these lights are capable of twisting. Once they go up they are in a fixed position. If the pole is twisted that could mess up the wiring inside. And the lights cannot be rotated. Even if they could be that would put the red on bottom and green on top which is not how other traffic lights are configured.

I meant they would rotate the pole. Pull the nuts off the mounting base and rotate the pole 90 degrees. Yes, the lights could not just flip over they would be upside down, since the red light is on top and burning now. So whatever has to happen to point them south. Unplug, put on the other side and plug back in, whatever.

If that's not it, what's going to control northbound traffic when they take out the existing light pole that's in the middle of the new turn lane?

[Double Edge]

Here's another view and a blow up looking east up westbound Reno.
The near pole looks to me like it is in the path of the new turn lane you can see they are building in the distance, so that pole has to go somewhere. If the new pole is to take it's place, they would have to have slid it in between the utility pole and the existing traffic signal under the power lines. I could be wrong, of course. But there is no way they are going to make the westbound lanes of Reno eastbound with all the new turn lanes they have built and are building.

[redrunner]

I concur that the new pole just a few feet away from the existing one is meant to replace it. It will have to be rotated to the position that the current one is in once it is removed. Mystery solved.

[Snowman]

Possibly, but rotating it seems more complected than sliding it under in the first place, since it has less clearance as you get farther from the pole, unless the utilities lines will be relocated in the next couple months anyway. They have built them behind others in the past when replacing poles and lights.

[jn1780]

Possibly, but rotating it seems more complected than sliding it under in the first place, since it has less clearance as you get farther from the pole, unless the utilities lines will be relocated in the next couple months anyway. They have built them behind others in the past when replacing poles and lights.

Yeah, right now I don't think a crane can get in there to rotate it 90 degrees because of the power lines so it will probably be a little bit more complicated than just moving the whole thing all at once.

Here's my theory:

First night: take lights off new pole, remove boom, rotate new pole 90 degrees.
Second night: take down old stoplight, reinstall boom on new pole, reinstall lights.

Unless, like you said they were planning on moving the utilities, but in that case it seems like it would make more sense to just wait until the utilities were moved before putting up a new pole. The utility lines are usually the first items to be moved.

[ljbab728]

Yeah, right now I don't think a crane can get in there to rotate it 90 degrees because of the power lines so it will probably be a little bit more complicated than just moving the whole thing all at once.

Here's my theory:

First night: take lights off new pole, remove boom, rotate new pole 90 degrees.
Second night: take down old stoplight, reinstall boom on new pole, reinstall lights.

You could be right. My theory is that they know what they're doing and have it planned out already.

[OKCNDN]

My theory is that we all have a little bit too much free time...

[Double Edge]

My theory is that we all have a little bit too much free time...

That or the hell of the getting through this intersection is making us all a little nutty.

[OKCNDN]

In the picture of the light pole it looks like the pole is only connected to the concrete base at three points, not four. If this is correct, and it appears to be, then the pole will not be able to be turned 90 degrees but rather will only be able to be turned 120 degrees which would not be in alignment with the street.

In looking at the length of the top pole it does appear to the be right length to just turn the whole structure 90 degrees and have it as the traffic light for the northbound cars on Council. But the base of the pole just doesn't seem to allow this.

[jonno]

In the picture of the light pole it looks like the pole is only connected to the concrete base at three points, not four. If this is correct, and it appears to be, then the pole will not be able to be turned 90 degrees but rather will only be able to be turned 120 degrees which would not be in alignment with the street.

In looking at the length of the top pole it does appear to the be right length to just turn the whole structure 90 degrees and have it as the traffic light for the northbound cars on Council. But the base of the pole just doesn't seem to allow this.

It can turn 90 degrees. What you see in the photo above is two of the four anchor bolts from the drilled shaft foundation to the base of the pole. The other two bolts are not visible because the two in front are blocking the view of the two bolts in the back (all positions relative to the person that took the picture). The "anchor" in the middle is the conduit that comes up through the base and carries all the wires and ground rod connections to make the signals function.