Midwest City Area Street and Highway Projects

[Plutonic Panda]

From NewsOK

Midwest City project

Another major project awarded Monday involves the modification of the intersection of Air Depot Boulevard and SE 29 in Midwest City.

Nearby on and off ramps to Interstate 40 also will be redone under the project approved Monday by the Oklahoma Transportation Commission.

Work on the intersection modification and traffic signal project is expected to begin in about two months and take 90 days to complete for about $2.6 million, said Lisa Shearer-Salim, public information manager for the Oklahoma Transportation Department.

Silver Star Construction Inc., of Moore, was awarded the contract.

The commission approved a separate project that will add signage and a high friction surface to Interstate 40 at Town Center Drive and Air Depot Boulevard.

The high friction treatment provides better traction for turning vehicles as long as motorists travel at recommended speeds, transportation officials said.

Adding signage for the intersection and two others, plus the high friction treatment, is expected to require 180 days of construction and cost about $1.7 million. PBX Corp. was awarded the contract.

The projects were among 33 construction projects awarded Monday by the Oklahoma Transportation Commission.

Other major metro-area projects include:

A $3 million project to modify the intersection of NW 50 and MacArthur Boulevard in Warr Acres.

A $2.1 million project to resurface Sooner Road from SE 29 going north for nearly 2 miles in Midwest City and Del City.

- Edmond, Midwest City's busy intersections to undergo construction | News OK

[bombermwc]

I'm very glad to see Sooner getting repaved north of 29th. It's pretty bad from 15th to Reno...hopefully that "nearly 2 miles" goes all the way.

If they're adding high friction pavement on that twisting portion of I-40, you'd think they would look at the bridge over Air Depot, since that's where people run into the wall.

[doufan]

They have two lanes closed off for construction on the SW corner of SE 29th and Air Depot. Is it really necessary to have two lanes blocked off to do some widening work? Traffic is backed up from that intersection to Sooner Road during rush hour.

Also, it would be nice if they opened up the lanes during rush hour and closed them during downtimes. I don't think that's too much to ask.

[bombermwc]

Ive been bypassing it and going up to Arthur Harris and cutting over I-40 and bypassing all that mess. On the weekend, it's terrible between about 10-6. I'm not really sure why it's closed off so far back. it seems like they could have left it open up to I-40 and then shifted traffic using the turn lanes or something to get around. Hopefully it wont take long. I'm not really sure what the point of it all is. If it's all just to add a right hand turn lane, then it's a waste of money. Same goes for the right turn onto eastbound 29th from northbound Air Depot.

[doufan]

Just so you guys know, they are actually adding stoplights at the ramps. so to go from the Air Depot intersection to Eastbound I-40 or into Tinker you will actually be going through 3 sets of stoplights rather than just one.

Also the stoplights will work in conjuction with stoplights at the Boeing Dr/Air Depot intersection.

I'm hoping this does not mean ridiculous wait times at the stoplights but I'm not confident.

[bombermwc]

If you've ever tried to turn North from the I-40 east ramp, you know why this is a good thing. As long as they don't set the dang things to catch people, it should be a minor change. The north/south SHOULD still have precedent over the ramps (like the way the even more complicated traffic flows at I-40/29th/TownCenter). Like you said, the question is whether the city gets them to plan it the right way or not.

Just what MWC needs though...more spotlights.......They make babies like strip malls.