The New I-40 (Construction Updates)

[mike1k]

No need to laugh.......when it happens I expect an apology. My source can't be any closer to the project.

[MDot]

Heard from a very reliable source that we will be driving on I 40 by the end of the year. I hope so.....

If you're source is right, I will become your's and his bestfriend. Not that my friendship is needed of course.

[jn1780]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I highly doubt that. :-)

Doesn't sound all that crazy. I noticed they already had the road graded and the bottom layer of asphalt put in place over where the new roadway merges with the old roadway. It will probably take them a month to finish that section.

I find myself scratching my head on what could possibly take them additional half year to complete other than all the ramps and bridges that has to be built after everything is shifted.

[MDot]

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised really either if we were driving on the new I-40 by years end.

[Urban Pioneer]

I wouldn't either. Apparently they are paying the contractors a significant of money for every day they finish early. They are inspecting the existing I-40 every 14 days keeping their fingers crossed that the bridge deck can hold up without a major failure before they can switch traffic over.

Even the Skydance Bridge project is being expedited because of this. Generally dry/warm weather has helped as well.

[Bellaboo]

I think I read somewhere or saw on the news last month that they could possible have it open by years end. Still need to start the westbound over Agnew bridge. But someone mentioned that they could run both directions on the eastbound bridge until it was complete and tied in.

[shavethewhales]

The plan is to have it open by Dec. 21st, I believe. Everyday that it isn't ready by then means big money lost for the contractors involved.

[BoulderSooner]

the east bound side is close to being 100% finished

[Pete]

Several recent press releases from ODOT all say mid-2012 before traffic will be switched over and that ancillary construction will continue for years after.

Hope they are just try to keep expectations low but given the way this project has proceeded, I'm not going to hold my breath.

[KayneMo]

I went on a tour of the Skydance Bridge (in it's construction process) with one of the designers, and he said the bridge HAS to be put in place before December 20 this year. It's crucial to have it in place by then because that's when I-40 is planning to open.

[MDot]

Sounds like they're serious about this whole December 21st opening date.

[Bellaboo]

" I went on a tour of the Skydance Bridge (in it's construction process) with one of the designers, and he said the bridge HAS to be put in place before December 20 this year. It's crucial to have it in place by then because that's when I-40 is planning to open. "

Did you happen to get to see it while under construction ??? If so, how does the skin look ?

[KayneMo]

I sure did! It wasn't painted when we looked at it. The "bird" of the bridge will have (what the designers called it) "feathers." I'm not sure on how to describe it, but they are steel components that jut in and out all along the bird to give it a sense of movement. It'll look really neat!

[BoulderSooner]

Several recent press releases from ODOT all say mid-2012 before traffic will be switched over and that ancillary construction will continue for years after.

Hope they are just try to keep expectations low but given the way this project has proceeded, I'm not going to hold my breath.

i believe that the mid-2012 date is for traffic in both directions to be started ... the east bound side will be open much much sooner

[bombermwc]

Can you even open one side and not the other? I thought the current I-40 blocked several of the ramp or access locations for the new road? Heck, eastbound is the only way i go when i'm on 40 (240 west in the morning, 40 east some evenings on the way to the gym), so it's great for me....

[Bellaboo]

I think they are talking about opening both sides, but at the Agnew bridge, just funneling all lanes (east and west bound) over just the bridge that is built...

[OKCisOK4me]

...which will create a bottleneck at that end.

[Bellaboo]

Yep, there are 4 lanes of traffic that merge East bound in the construction zone..... not sure if the single bridge could handle that much traffic in both directions.

Now it could be possible that they route the West bound over to the existing West bound lanes they are using today.....then they'd have room to build the new West bound Agnew bridge.

[jn1780]

I think it depends on the condition of the crosstown and whether or not ODOT wants to throw more money at it on repairs. I don't see any critical reason they would need to open both sides at one time.

[OKCisOK4me]

Yeah, if they transfer traffic from current eastbound alignment that's half as much time put into patching up the current crosstown, and once they transfer traffic, most of the new main thoroughfare should be completed, leaving only the tie-ins.

Does ODOT contract a company to keep the same amount of workers who are out there today, all on this one future project or take forever and a day using 4 construction guys and one tractor and crane? If they concentrate the workers, the westbound project should be completed fairly fast and they shouldn't have to bottleneck the project.

[Bellaboo]

Guess we'll just watch it unfold over the next 6 - 8 months...

[Snowman]

Yeah, if they transfer traffic from current eastbound alignment that's half as much time put into patching up the current crosstown, and once they transfer traffic, most of the new main thoroughfare should be completed, leaving only the tie-ins.

Does ODOT contract a company to keep the same amount of workers who are out there today, all on this one future project or take forever and a day using 4 construction guys and one tractor and crane? If they concentrate the workers, the westbound project should be completed fairly fast and they shouldn't have to bottleneck the project.

I believe they negotiated it down to just forever.

[ljbab728]

I went by there today for the first time in a couple of weeks and noticed that they were starting to erect the posts for the overhead road signs.

[jn1780]

I went by there today for the first time in a couple of weeks and noticed that they were starting to erect the posts for the overhead road signs.

Yeah, I noticed that too. They basically have the overhead "water pipes" assembled and ready to be erected sometime in the future.

Anyone notice the concrete "pouring" process? They don't actually pour it from a concrete truck like you would expect. Instead they dump it from dump trucks in front of the concrete paving machine and that machine shapes, compacts, and smooths it into a roadway. I thought it was interesting anyway. Lol

[Snowman]

Yeah, I noticed that too. They basically have the overhead "water pipes" assembled and ready to be erected sometime in the future.

Anyone notice the concrete "pouring" process? They don't actually pour it from a concrete truck like you would expect. Instead they dump it from dump trucks in front of the concrete paving machine and that machine shapes, compacts, and smooths it into a roadway. I thought it was interesting anyway. Lol

That has been the process for decades for any long continues stretch, most of the current system was done the same way.