I-35/I-44 Interchange

[Plutonic Panda]

north bound has the constant 3 lanes all the way ..

south goes down to 2 lanes .. for a little over 1000 feet ..

there does seem to be enough room currently to add a 3rd lane heading south .... so it makes me thing ODOT is waiting until some point in the future when the 2 off ramps off the turnpike are fixed ..

Sorry I meant SB.

[BoulderSooner]

The on ramp from 122nd St to NB Broadway Extension (interfering with the Kilpatrick on ramps) is another fun one.

i will say while not ideal at at least all of that is on the right side ..

a future solution would be to have the Kilpatrick exit come before and fly over the 122nd onramp

[jn1780]

because this entire stretch of I35 (44 south - I 40) will soon become 6 lanes and the 63rd street bridge needed to be replaced ... north 35 to west 44 will now exit on the right and join 44 on the right .. (as it should)

Yeah, they wouldn't be touching this if bridge replacement wasn't driving the timeline.

[Pete]

Press release:

************

I-35 closes at I-44 Wednesday, Monday nights

All lanes of southbound I-35 will be closed at I-44 from 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 14 to 6 a.m. Wednesday June 15, and again from 8 p.m. Monday, June 19 to 6 a.m. Tuesday, June 20, to hang beams as part of ongoing work in the area. Drivers can detour on westbound I-44 to southbound I-235 or locate an alternate route.

The southbound I-35 ramp to westbound I-44 will be open during this work.

I-35, I-44 narrowed near N. 63rd St. through 2025

The following closures are in place through 2025 for bridge reconstruction:

• Eastbound I-44 is narrowed to one lane at I-35 through June.
• The northbound Lincoln Blvd. on-ramp to westbound I-44 is narrowed without shoulders.
• The northbound I-35 off-ramp to N. 63rd St. is closed through summer 2023.
• The left lane of eastbound I-44 is closed between Martin Luther King Ave. and I-35/I-44 junction.
• Northbound Bryant Ave. is narrowed to one lane between 50th St. and Aluma Valley Dr. through summer 2023.
• East and Westbound N. 63rd street is closed between Bryant Ave. and Martin Luther King Ave. Use Bryant Ave. and Martin Luther King Ave. as alternate routes.
• Northbound and southbound I-35 is narrowed to two lanes in each direction between N. 50th St. and Wilshire Blvd.
• Westbound I-44 is narrowed to one lane from Wilshire Blvd. to Martin Luther King Ave.
• The southbound I-35 on-ramp from Bryant Ave. is permanently closed.

Motorists should locate an alternate route such as I-44 to I-235 or expect congestion and delays in the area, especially during peak commute times and are encouraged to plan extra travel time.

[bombermwc]

All through this project, i haven't really understood what the goal is at the other end. They re-did the bridge at 63rd not long ago. And honestly, i dont understand what they are trying to add here. Is it to expand 35 in both directions at the junction to be able to handle the future 6 lane expansion of 35 itself?

It's not a particularly busy area, so i'm sort of surprised about the amount of money going in to it.

[BoulderSooner]

They re-did the bridge at 63rd not long ago.

when was this .. ??

a quick google search says the bridges over 63rd are 65 years old ..


they redid the bridge over the creek just south of 63rd not long ago ..

this also will make the north I35 to west 44 exist on the right as it should be .. and this entire project will tie into the I35 expansion (from 44-40) that is coming soon

[jn1780]

All through this project, i haven't really understood what the goal is at the other end. They re-did the bridge at 63rd not long ago. And honestly, i dont understand what they are trying to add here. Is it to expand 35 in both directions at the junction to be able to handle the future 6 lane expansion of 35 itself?

It's not a particularly busy area, so i'm sort of surprised about the amount of money going in to it.

Bridge replacement is the main goal driving the speed and priority. The large Deep Fork Creek bridge which was replaced first along with 63rd bridge were looking rough. Everything else is to allow I-35 expansion through the interchange and have a safer design.

[bombermwc]

OK. So what's the deal with the new flyovers? I haven't driven through since this phase started but Channel 5 was over it this morning. Some of the flyovers seem oddly directed to me.

I'm just asking because this one doesn't seem to be as well discussed as some of the other larger projects.

[therhett17]

OK. So what's the deal with the new flyovers? I haven't driven through since this phase started but Channel 5 was over it this morning. Some of the flyovers seem oddly directed to me.

I'm just asking because this one doesn't seem to be as well discussed as some of the other larger projects.

The new NB to WB flyover they're currently constructing seems normal to me, is that what you're referring to?

[SEMIweather]

Side note, is there any way we can get the thread title changed from 1-35 to I-35? It is driving me crazy as is right now, lmao.

[therhett17]

Side note, is there any way we can get the thread title changed from 1-35 to I-35? It is driving me crazy as is right now, lmao.

Lol I never noticed that until now

[jn1780]

OK. So what's the deal with the new flyovers? I haven't driven through since this phase started but Channel 5 was over it this morning. Some of the flyovers seem oddly directed to me.

I'm just asking because this one doesn't seem to be as well discussed as some of the other larger projects.

I see what you mean by "oddly directed" angle. I think it just looks like that because they haven't built the approach yet to that flyover ramp. The right lane will end up being the lane to take to I-44 WB.

[Plutonic Panda]

Lol I never noticed that until now

Ah yes I see it. Mods please change the title hahah I can’t unsee it

[Pete]

[BoulderSooner]

this picture makes me wonder about temp alignments ..

I wonder if they will open the new N to West ramp first

then move N bound traffic to the under construction south bound bridge (then demo the existing north bound bridge and build the new one )

then move N bound to its final bridge and move south bound to its final bridge (then demo the old south bound bridge)

[HOT ROD]

i know this isn't necessarily the best place for one, but wouldn't it be nice if the old NB to WB left exit would be retained as an HOV only exit.

Yes, I know it doesn't fit here with the lack of density of anything but perhaps we should consider repurposing other locatgions where left bound exits as HOV (like the I-40 E to I-44 W (SB) left exit and the I-44 W (SB) to I-40 E left exit once that interchange gets rebuilt. That second one would be an AWESOME downtown OKC only kind of exit for high occupancy vehicles.

[Dob Hooligan]

i know this isn't necessarily the best place for one, but wouldn't it be nice if the old NB to WB left exit would be retained as an HOV only exit.

Yes, I know it doesn't fit here with the lack of density of anything but perhaps we should consider repurposing other locatgions where left bound exits as HOV (like the I-40 E to I-44 W (SB) left exit and the I-44 W (SB) to I-40 E left exit once that interchange gets rebuilt. That second one would be an AWESOME downtown OKC only kind of exit for high occupancy vehicles.

I recall the tightest part of I-35 in OKC is the area north of I-40 up to 36th-ish. Like 2 lanes with barely a shoulder. So, I wonder how we benefit going from no space to spare to HOV lane within 5 miles?

[BoulderSooner]

I recall the tightest part of I-35 in OKC is the area north of I-40 up to 36th-ish. Like 2 lanes with barely a shoulder. So, I wonder how we benefit going from no space to spare to HOV lane within 5 miles?

that entire section is getting ready to be redone and widened

[Dob Hooligan]

that entire section is getting ready to be redone and widened

I recall reading it is on the board, but the only thing I found doing a quick search was under $1 million in 2025 for right of way and utility. Makes me think it might be 2040 before it gets done.

[Plutonic Panda]

I recall reading it is on the board, but the only thing I found doing a quick search was under $1 million in 2025 for right of way and utility. Makes me think it might be 2040 before it gets done.

I believe actual construction on it is programmed for 2029. It could potentially be moved up.

[HOT ROD]

I recall the tightest part of I-35 in OKC is the area north of I-40 up to 36th-ish. Like 2 lanes with barely a shoulder. So, I wonder how we benefit going from no space to spare to HOV lane within 5 miles?

That's why I said "THIS may not be the best place for one". Reading is fundamental.

[Dob Hooligan]

That's why I said "THIS may not be the best place for one". Reading is fundamental.

I know what you wrote. My comment was meant to explain why I did not think it was a good idea in that location.

[Dob Hooligan]

I believe actual construction on it is programmed for 2029. It could potentially be moved up.

Thanks. I didn’t see it in a quick trip through the ODOT 8 year plan I looked at this morning. Any idea how much it is projected to cost? Keep thinking that 4 miles of going from 2 lanes each way to 4 in the center of town is gonna be very costly.

[Dob Hooligan]

So, let me ask another question about our roads…..from Yukon to Choctaw, if you are wanting to go north from I-40 to Memorial/Kilpatrick, you can take Kilpatrick Turnpike, I-44/SH 74, I-235 or I-35? And the eastern loop will add another choice?

[scottk]

So, let me ask another question about our roads…..from Yukon to Choctaw, if you are wanting to go north from I-40 to Memorial/Kilpatrick, you can take Kilpatrick Turnpike, I-44/SH 74, I-235 or I-35? And the eastern loop will add another choice?

Yes, and unfortunately, all of those highways (except for I-35) abruptly end at Memorial. The Kilpatrick curves to its east/west alignment, SH74 goes from a freeway to a 4 lane divided limited access to Waterloo just north of Memorial, and I-235/Broadway Extension quickly ends as a freeway coming into Edmond at the first of many stoplights working north along Broadway.