I - 44 Bridge

[SoonerBoy18]

I-44 is my favorite interstate to drive on when I am in Oklahoma City. I was wondering if ODOT is going to repaire the I-44 bridge by Penn Square Mall? I cant be the only one who gets embaressed for the city when Im on it.

[gurantula35]

which bridge are you talking about? if i remember correctly, a few months back they we're doing repairs to i-44 from the NW Expressway exit to the Penn exit on both sides. Even had the NW Expressway exit closed for a small amount of time.

[SoonerBoy18]

I am talking about the bridge as soon as you exit off Will Rogers express way. All up their by NW Expressway and Penn exit. Those roads look like they are crumbling fast

[OKCisOK4me]

I am talking about the bridge as soon as you exit off Will Rogers express way. All up their by NW Expressway and Penn exit. Those roads look like they are crumbling fast

Ive lived here most my life--Will Rogers Expressway?? I'm assuming you're talking about I-44 where it goes over the Deep Fork Creek, NW Expressway and turns easterly between Belle Isle & the Vallience Bank building. That part of I-44?!

Until a part of it falls out like we saw with the Crosstown, they will only patch it up...

[SoonerBoy18]

Ive lived here most my life--Will Rogers Expressway?? I'm assuming you're talking about I-44 where it goes over the Deep Fork Creek, NW Expressway and turns easterly between Belle Isle & the Vallience Bank building. That part of I-44?!

Until a part of it falls out like we saw with the Crosstown, they will only patch it up...

Yeah thats where I am talking about.

[gurantula35]

I am talking about the bridge as soon as you exit off Will Rogers express way. All up their by NW Expressway and Penn exit. Those roads look like they are crumbling fast

thats the part i was referring too.

[metro]

There is no Will Rogers Expressway in OKC. I believe he is referring to Belle Isle bridge.

[Snowman]

There is no Will Rogers Expressway in OKC. I believe he is referring to Belle Isle bridge.

Will Rogers Expressway is i44 north of H.E. Bailey Turnpike, you just never see the name like several of our interstate designated roads in OKC. Probably came from in Oklahoma Route 66 is Will Rogers Highway, which co runs with i44 for around 10 miles.

[OKCisOK4me]

Will Rogers Expressway is i44 north of H.E. Bailey Turnpike, you just never see the name like several of our interstate designated roads in OKC. Probably came from in Oklahoma Route 66 is Will Rogers Highway.

And here I thought it was always the Dr. Wk Jackson Parkway...

[Snowman]

And here I thought it was always the Dr. Wk Jackson Parkway...

I do not remember how far the Will Rogers Expressway name goes, it may have only been between H.E. Bailey Turnpike and Lake Hefner Parkway, Belle Isle or i235. Given how long there was a gap between the sections of i44 between Lake Hefner Parkway and i35 for several years, different names would not be that surprising.

[SoonerBoy18]

*Sigh* Will Rogers Expressway (Lake hefner Parkway, I -144> Right when you exit at 147B from eastbound i-40. On my maps on my ipad it says will rogers expressway

[OKCisOK4me]

SB18, have you ever seen a folding paper map?

[CuatrodeMayo]

Sounds complicated.

[SoonerBoy18]

SB18, have you ever seen a folding paper map?

Yes but i try to avoid them, google maps is more legible

[OKCisOK4me]

Well, that's because you can't zoom a paper map without putting it at the end of your nose & info doesn't load on a paper map like it does on Google Maps. A majority of us on here grew up with maps made from trees. Sorry we didn't know where Will Rogers Expressway was/is ;-)

[metro]

Yes but i try to avoid them, google maps is more legible

And inaccurate.

[SoonerBoy18]

And inaccurate.

Oh yes, very true

[mpotter]

The portion of I-44 east of Tulsa to Joplin, MO is designated the Will Rogers Turnpike. I never knew of a Will Rogers Expressway in OKC. I-40 was called the Crosstown Expressway downtown and the Tinker Diagonal Expressway from downtown to Tinker Air Force Base, Northeast Expressway was the section of I-44/US 66 from NW Expressway east to I-35 and then I-35 from that point north to the Turner Turnpike. When the section of I-35 from the interchange with current I-44/66 near NE 63rd down to NE 23rd was built in 1958, it was originally designated the Raymond Gary Expressway.

[UncleCyrus]

SB18, have you ever seen a folding paper map?

I actually have several OKC folding paper maps in my collection that show that south OKC portion of I-44 (then designated I-240) as Will Rogers Expressway. Google isn't completely wrong, just maybe a little outdated.

[OKCisOK4me]

I still have a map book of all the states that Rand McNally makes. I was just saying that when paper maps were more common, I didn't really look at the highway names...

[UncleCyrus]

I can see that. We never really used the highway names here as much as other cities have, except for maybe the Crosstown Expressway.

[bluedogok]

It seems like highways in Texas all have three or more names and/or number designations and you never really know which name the map sites/program use.

[JWil]

That bridge is in super shape compared to the Crosstown. That said, I'd *guess* that whenever they replace the Belle Isle Bridge, they'd keep it elevated but put it on an earthen base. Random guess there, though.

The real problem with that part of I-44 is the ramp from I-44 to I-44 where Lake Hefner Parkway breaks off. That entire intersection needs to be reconstructed, but it's way down the list and won't be considered until after the I-35/240 project. I've never understood why anyone thought it was a good idea to make I-44 go from three lanes to one as it shifted direction from westward to southward.

[ljbab728]

That bridge is in super shape compared to the Crosstown. That said, I'd *guess* that whenever they replace the Belle Isle Bridge, they'd keep it elevated but put it on an earthen base. Random guess there, though.

The real problem with that part of I-44 is the ramp from I-44 to I-44 where Lake Hefner Parkway breaks off. That entire intersection needs to be reconstructed, but it's way down the list and won't be considered until after the I-35/240 project. I've never understood why anyone thought it was a good idea to make I-44 go from three lanes to one as it shifted direction from westward to southward.

I'm not disagreeing with you but the third lane doesn't go to I44 south. There is ample advance warning about that. I agree that it may need more merging area for the two lanes which continue south, however. It can be a bottle neck but I don't think it's a major safety issue.

[Snowman]

I've never understood why anyone thought it was a good idea to make I-44 go from three lanes to one as it shifted direction from westward to southward.

It was not originally planned/built as one continuous route, in OKC it was four separate road projects that got renamed, which is why it exits onto itself three times. Originally i44's southwest end was it merging into i35. It probably has at least double the traffic it was planned to carry at that time.