I-35 / I-240 Exchange

[catch22]

I remember almost two decades ago now when Crossroads mall was complaining that this interchange would put them out of business.........

Surely if the construction happened sooner it wouldn’t have killed them off.

[baralheia]

I remember almost two decades ago now when Crossroads mall was complaining that this interchange would put them out of business.........

Looking closely at the diagram I mentioned, it looks like drivers on NB I-35 will still have access to SE 66th St via the exit south of the interchange once everything is completed. To get back on NB I-35 from SE 66th, drivers will still need to go up to the on-ramp from SE 59th St just like they do today. The existing exit for SE 66th St from SB I-35 will not be modified - however the current on-ramp from SE 66th to SB I-35 will be eliminated. It looks like a Texas Turnaround will also be installed at SE 59th St, however, so traffic needing to go southbound can go north to 59th, take the turnaround lane, then take the existing on-ramp from 59th onto SB I-35. A bit more convoluted but not too bad.

[Pete]

[SEMIweather]

Perhaps this year they’ll move them up again but I wouldn’t hold my breath. I was beyond peeved when I saw how far back they pushed these projects only to see a new east to west interstate initiative proposed for Tulsa(which does need it but not at the expense of this) as well as the expediting of the US-75/I-44 interchange. We definitely got the shaft here.

On the plus side, definitely feels like we're getting the better end of the deal with Access Oklahoma, assuming they all actually get built.

[bombermwc]

Looking closely at the diagram I mentioned, it looks like drivers on NB I-35 will still have access to SE 66th St via the exit south of the interchange once everything is completed. To get back on NB I-35 from SE 66th, drivers will still need to go up to the on-ramp from SE 59th St just like they do today. The existing exit for SE 66th St from SB I-35 will not be modified - however the current on-ramp from SE 66th to SB I-35 will be eliminated. It looks like a Texas Turnaround will also be installed at SE 59th St, however, so traffic needing to go southbound can go north to 59th, take the turnaround lane, then take the existing on-ramp from 59th onto SB I-35. A bit more convoluted but not too bad.

I'm actually glad that 66th to 35-S ramp will be taken out. It's one of those limited merge areas where the traffic exiting for 240 is fighting. There's not just a ton of traffic from the ramp, but it's a good decision. Just like the FAR more busy Shields closure to 240 East decision. That one really was a big deal, but with the turnarounds, it doesn't really cause THAT much more wait time. Really just one stop light.

[ChrisHayes]

They're putting down a large area of asphalt in the grassy area on the (I believe) northwest corner of the interchange. I'm guessing this will be a construction equipment staging area?

[NavySeabee]

I remember almost two decades ago now when Crossroads mall was complaining that this interchange would put them out of business.........

Crossroads failed because of a laundry list of bad decisions on the mall management’s part. The main one building Crossroads Village Shopping Center blocking the view of the mall. The last nail in the coffin was the decline of the neighborhoods nearby.

I don’t see the 240/35 rebuild happening anytime in the near future. The earliest it will happen in my book is around 2047, 2057 if we’re lucky. The state and the city of Oklahoma City only like spending money west of I-35 and North of I-40.

[Snowman]

Crossroads failed because of a laundry list of bad decisions on the mall management’s part. The main one building Crossroads Village Shopping Center blocking the view of the mall. The last nail in the coffin was the decline of the neighborhoods nearby.

I don’t see the 240/35 rebuild happening anytime in the near future. The earliest it will happen in my book is around 2047, 2057 if we’re lucky. The state and the city of Oklahoma City only like spending money west of I-35 and North of I-40.

The earliest phases of the 240/35 rebuild has already gotten to a point in time ODOT classifies as non-flexible, while projects on the 8-year plan do have a tendency to slide back some time. It tends to be more on the order of one to a few years, not a couple decades.

[Plutonic Panda]

Crossroads failed because of a laundry list of bad decisions on the mall management’s part. The main one building Crossroads Village Shopping Center blocking the view of the mall. The last nail in the coffin was the decline of the neighborhoods nearby.

I don’t see the 240/35 rebuild happening anytime in the near future. The earliest it will happen in my book is around 2047, 2057 if we’re lucky. The state and the city of Oklahoma City only like spending money west of I-35 and North of I-40.

That’s not even remotely true. This entire interchange will be finished by the end of the decade. With any luck we’ll see it moved up again in October.

[bombermwc]

That’s not even remotely true. This entire interchange will be finished by the end of the decade. With any luck we’ll see it moved up again in October.

I agree with Plutonic. Everyone knew Crossroads was there. You couldn't miss it. So having a stripmall there didn't do it in any more than having Libbys there did. What was present in that stripmall was not anything that would have been inside the mall, save the tux shop. The neighborhood has been "questionable" for 50 years at least. I mean Valley Brook has never in it's existence been known as more than speed trap with strip joints. I'm not sure how it's "declined" any more than it was in the early 90's.

Mall management did whine for a long time about access, but again I think that's an excuse. People didn't choose to not go to Crossroads in large numbers, because they had to take a frontage road to get there. It simply fell to the common pressures that people stopped wanting to go to malls for their shopping and wanted the more convenient strip options. This was a fact of shopping habits in general changing. Crossroads and Heritage were both examples of places that had the "common" stores in them that could easily migrate to those strip centers. Penn, on the other hand, was a collection of the next level up in stores. Not super fancy, but of brands that dont traditionally go to free-standing or strip centers (save for outlets).

If that were solely the case, then Westgate would have prevented the Outlet Mall from being built too. And the surrounding neighborhood there is some of the worst for petty crime in the city. So my point here is that there are a ton of factors that went in to this. And that's partly why it's been so difficult for anyone to find new uses for structures like this anywhere in the US. Shepard is one of the few exceptions that has kept trying to reinvent what it is to keep leases going as commercial office space. There's enough of a need nearby to keep it going since it's not a large structure to being with. But it's a constant fight. Heritage is being taken over by MWC as blight. They're evaluating their next step, which I think will involve bulldozers. I think Heritage will actually be a good thing for Crossroads to watch. It's similar in that there are multiple owners on the property, some of which are occupied by a good tenant. So when the dozers come knocking, it'll be a question of how much they take, and then what comes next.

[Jesseda]

Looks that construction for I-35/I-240 will start June 5th. They already put the construction signs out on 240 and 35 letting people know

[ChrisHayes]

Looks that construction for I-35/I-240 will start June 5th. They already put the construction signs out on 240 and 35 letting people know

You beat me to it. They also have construction trailers set up near Home Depot. Okay, I'm kind of unfamiliar with this. How much of the project are they going to be doing? The entire rebuild?

[jn1780]

You beat me to it. They also have construction trailers set up near Home Depot. Okay, I'm kind of unfamiliar with this. How much of the project are they going to be doing? The entire rebuild?

Here is a little bit of a description one page back. https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.p...78#post1221378

[jn1780]

Crossroads failed because of a laundry list of bad decisions on the mall management’s part. The main one building Crossroads Village Shopping Center blocking the view of the mall. The last nail in the coffin was the decline of the neighborhoods nearby.

I don’t see the 240/35 rebuild happening anytime in the near future. The earliest it will happen in my book is around 2047, 2057 if we’re lucky. The state and the city of Oklahoma City only like spending money west of I-35 and North of I-40.

Yes, and that is kind of the point I was getting at with my post. That construction and road ramp closure never came.

Regarding the second part of your comment. They are literally starting a major phase a little over a week from now. It will probably take longer than it should to finish the whole thing, but they should get it done within the next ten years, hopefully sooner

[jn1780]

The other phases should all be awarded in FY 25https://oklahoma.gov/odot/citizen/ma...ovements0.html.

[Bunty]

Since this thread brings up a part of I-35, I'll ask this question here. So, what caused all that damage to the inside lane of it on the north side starting somewhere south of Edmond and stretching at least to where I got off to get on I-44. Hell, maybe the damage extends clear to I-240 and beyond. I can't imagine what caused it, other than it's like something like tracks a tank would leave, but surely not that. Whatever, whoever caused that damage ought to be held accountable for it. I don't seem to recall seeing anything like it before.

[Jeepnokc]

Since this thread brings up a part of I-35, I'll ask this question here. So, what caused all that damage to the inside lane of it on the north side starting somewhere south of Edmond and stretching at least to where I got off to get on I-44. Hell, maybe the damage extends clear to I-240 and beyond. I can't imagine what caused it, other than it's like something like tracks a tank would leave, but surely not that. Whatever, whoever caused that damage ought to be held accountable for it. I don't seem to recall seeing anything like it before.

Generally if they know who caused it and have the insurance information (or a criminal case filed like in a DUI), they will file a claim or seek restitution through the court. My son lost control last summer and totalled his car playing bumper cars between opposing guard rails. It was either City of Norman or OK DOT that filed a claim with our insurance for the $3500 damage.

[G.Walker]

Glad they are finally getting this going. Since I live in the Moore/Norman area, will make traffic flow seamless going to OKC. But I would imagine traffic will be a nightmare when they start temp closing lanes.

After this, hopefully ODOT widens I-240 to 6 lanes from I-35 to I-40.

[jn1780]

The biggest highlight on the phase their working on is a new railroad bridge. I imagine they will do something similar to what they did on I-235.

[bombermwc]

The biggest highlight on the phase their working on is a new railroad bridge. I imagine they will do something similar to what they did on I-235.

I dont think it will be anything as elaborate. 235 required special handling because of the length/angle of the bridge. The 35 bridge is right on perpendicular so it's a straight shot across. I would be surprised if they even remove the middle support rather than just building a newer bridge of the same style, that just has wider openings. It's also got to have a section for the Frontage Rd. But spanning to cover all of those, seems expensive and not necessary.

[NINfan1231]

So, are they starting on this interchange? They have setup a Dolese Onsite Concrete. And have been clearing out the NW side of the interchange.

[G.Walker]

Yes, they are finally. They are starting preliminary site work.

[NINfan1231]

Are there any visual concepts of the new plan? I know they are probably on ODOT, but I find it very difficult to navigate their website.

[BoulderSooner]

https://oklahoma.gov/odot/citizen/ba...40meeting.html

https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/.../handout-e.pdf

https://www.odot.org/newsmedia/press...0_plan_map.jpg

https://creativedesignresolutions.co...interchange-2/

[warreng88]

I'm really sick of the half flyover interchanges. The EB 240 to NB 35 is already awful. This interchange needs a multi stack highway. I think 235 was OK, but this and the 44/40 needs to be more efficient.