SH9 & Lindsey Interchange and I-35 widening in Norman

[riflesforwatie]

Happening tonight:

"The northbound I-35 on-ramp from westbound SH-9 East will be closed and northbound I-35 will be narrowed to one lane between SH-9 West (mm 106) and Lindsey St. (mm 108B) from 9 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday for ramp work. Following this closure, drivers will be shifted to the new northbound I-35 on-ramp from SH-9 East."

[Boomer3791]

I drove the new NB I35 ramp this AM. They still have it limited to only a single lane, so it's not going to do anything to alleviate the backup on WB Hwy. 9, unfortunately.

[Pete]

Photo from https://twitter.com/ManhattanBuild :

[FighttheGoodFight]

Ooooo it might be a bridge one day.

Went to Artisan's Pride today. Man Lindsey street is hurting. Hope this gets done faster than they say.

[bombermwc]

It'll be great once its done...just like Main. But the next stop really needs to be Lindsey. Get that sucker up to 4 real lanes. That will help football traffic immensely.

[HangryHippo]

Does anyone know if they're going to wait to open the Lindsey St. and I-35 ramps until the bridge deck is done? It seems like they could open the Lindsey St. to NB I-35 on-ramp once the intersection at Lindsey St. and 24th Ave SW. I don't know how far along work for the NB I-35 exit to Lindsey St. is.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Does anyone know if they're going to wait to open the Lindsey St. and I-35 ramps until the bridge deck is done? It seems like they could open the Lindsey St. to NB I-35 on-ramp once the intersection at Lindsey St. and 24th Ave SW. I don't know how far along work for the NB I-35 exit to Lindsey St. is.

Looks like they are waiting. The bridge is supposed to be done here in the Spring. So I expect by May at the latest.

[bombermwc]

I would bet not...just too close to the construction area. They still have a LOT to do too. Lights, paint, etc. i doubt anything will open until the whole thing is ready.

[riflesforwatie]

I would bet not...just too close to the construction area. They still have a LOT to do too. Lights, paint, etc. i doubt anything will open until the whole thing is ready.

Yeah, the only reason the SH-9 NB onramp was opened without paint and everything being done was because of the safety issues with lack of merging space on NB I-35. With the whole Lindsey interchange closed (except for SB I-35 exit ramp), there's no safety reason to start opening stuff up that close to the ongoing construction, or with confusing people before the bridge is ready.

[Plutonic Panda]

This project might come to a halt and the Lindsey St. bridge might be closed indefinitely.

http://m.newsok.com/article/5549038

[flyfisher07]

That would be pretty crushing to Norman.....I wonder if it was coincidence this press conference occurred the week before the budget has to be finalized?

[FighttheGoodFight]

This project might come to a halt and the Lindsey St. bridge might be closed indefinitely.

http://m.newsok.com/article/5549038

Kill me

[HangryHippo]

This would be an absolute nightmare.

[Plutonic Panda]

Kill me

I don't even have any words for it right now. I'm still fuming about the I-35/240 interchange project being put on hold. I can't take any more anger by getting mad about this.

For now I'm just going to hope that this is a scare tactic by OkDOT to get the legislators on the ball with a budget reform.

[Pete]

I hate to say it but something big and ridiculous (like these various road projects) is likely what it's going to take for people in this state to finally stop electing people who spend all their time and our tax dollars proposing absurd non-constitutional legislation about human rights and the 10 commandments rather than actually making sure citizens get the most rudimentary services.

It should also signal the end of the "cut our way to prosperity" insanity.

[tfvc.org]

I hope I don't sound overdramatic, but this is the start of what is going to put this state looking like a third world country.

[Plutonic Panda]

I hate to say it but something big and ridiculous (like these various road projects) is likely what it's going to take for people in this state to finally stop electing people who spend all their time and our tax dollars proposing absurd non-constitutional legislation about human rights and the 10 commandments rather than actually making sure citizens get the most rudimentary services.

It should also signal the end of the "cut our way to prosperity" insanity.

Yeah I honestly have said that for years. Just now that it's actually happening, it's kind of scary to watch.

[Geographer]

How did the project get underway without being fully funded?

The state would have had to fully obligate the funding in the State TIP (Transportation Improvement Plan) for this project to begin, right?