Concrete barriers on I-40

[Keith]

Well, since there have been so many accidents on I-40, from I-44, west to Council Rd., it looks like ODOT is going to install some traffic barriers. Right now, they are concentrating on I-40, from I-44 west to MacArthur. Anyway, below is the story.

I do believe that the barriers are a good idea, however, most all of these accidents are caused by either wreckless driving, or driving way to fast. I believe alll of these accidents could have been prevented if drivers would pay more attention to their driving and slow down.

In actuality, the barriers are telling me that "we, the OHP, can't enforce the speed limit anymore, so drive as fast as you want, and if you have an accident, at least the barriers will keep you from having a head on collision...now, good luck."




Barriers due for site of I-40 crash


By John Greiner
The Oklahoman

Construction of concrete safety barriers will start in January on an Oklahoma City section of Interstate 40 where two people died recently in a fiery crossover collision, officials said Wednesday.
The barriers will be built from the Interstate 44/Interstate 40 junction west to MacArthur Boulevard in Oklahoma City, transportation officials said.

The work is expected to be completed in about a year, said Terri Angier, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Department.

Monday night, two people were killed when a pickup went out of control on wet pavement and crossed the interstate highway just west of Portland Avenue and hit a tractor-trailer rig hauling tires.

Preventing crossover collisions has been a priority for the Transportation Department.

The area where Monday's fatal accident occurred was one of several the department targeted in 2003 for safety improvements to reduce these kinds of collisions.

From Jan. 1, 2000, through Aug. 31, 2004, the area of I-40 between Portland and Meridian avenues -- the scene of Monday's fatal collision -- had 21 cross- over collisions, said Rob Crissinger, a spokesman for the Transportation Department.

Those collisions left 18 people injured, but no one died, Crissinger said.

The average daily traffic count on I-40 through Oklahoma City is 102,000 vehicles, Crissinger said.

The $11.5 million contract to build the barriers was awarded in July to Haskell-Lemon Construction Co. of Oklahoma City, Crissinger said.

The work also includes adding an additional lane to I-40 between Portland and Meridian, Crissinger said. Some existing ramps in that area will be widened to two lanes.

In 2007, another contract will be let to extend the concrete barriers from MacArthur west to Council Road, Crissinger said. The temporary concrete barriers are 36 inches high and are in segments so they can be moved when construction ends, Crissinger said. The permanent barriers are 42 inches high and in one piece.

The state's first effort to prevent crossover collisions was on the Lake Hefner Parkway in Oklahoma City.

Safety cables were installed in August 2001. Through last month, vehicles have hit the cables 275 times without crossing into another lane and without resulting in a fatality, transportation officials said

[Midtowner]

If they save lives, they're worth it. The only downside is that it keeps y'all from doing u-turns in the median wherever you feel like it

Now you have to actually find the gap to turn around in.

[mranderson]

I would rather see the "Europian" barriers. They look better. The concrete really does nothing for the appearance of the freeway... Of course, neither does a dead body. But given a choice, it would be the "Europian." The same ones that divide Hefner Parkway.

[Patrick]

That brings up a good point...I wonder why they chose concrete barriers over the European system. Could it be because there are more semis on I-40....are the cable barriers not as effective at stopping them? If that were true though, why would they put cable barriers on I-35 in north Norman? Semis travel I-35 as well. Hmmmm...not quite sure why they're going the concrete barrier route.

They're also widening that stretch to 4 lanes, so maybe that has something to do with it. Is it easier just to go ahead and build the concrete barriers while you're building highway?