I240 Revitalization Efforts

[Snowman]

I drove on I 240 numerous times and the road surface was very smooth, and there are lots of buisness along the highway, can somebody explain exactly WHY odot wants to waste money on this project instead repairing portions of i-44 by Penn Square mall. Its much busier than I-240 and the roads are in serious need of repair. That part of OKC needs the revitalization because it just looks too ghetto, in my opinion.

Your perceptions of i44 near Penn being busier than i240 do not seem to be supported by ODOT's statistics. It would not surprise me that i44 would feel busier due to the way it merges with Lake Hefner Parkway, left side exits near Penn and i235 cloverleafs made it prone to slowing down even before construction on i44/i235 juncture was underway.

[Just the facts]

Just a thought...if one could turn back time and Bass Pro (very SUB-urban?) located to an established suburban area like crossroads, and something as popular as The Warren followed, how would the area look today? It seems like a better place for Bass Pro or Cabelas or something, if you had those as 'anchors' and could remove all of the run-down strip malls facing I-35 traffic, the mall would be visable again and something would survive. The area will never compete with the Penn Square area for the same type of retail, but would be a great Redneck Mecca, maybe J.R.'s could resurface in the food court... Moore has re-sprawled with horribly unplanned developments stacked on top of each other - that you can barely get to without waiting on 5 stop lights once you exit the poorly planned off-ramps, 240 should have moore potetial than Moore.

Bass Pro is an anchor tenant at the Discover Mills Mall in Lawrenceville, GA (suburba of Atlanta). It is a former outlet mall turned entertainment complex.

[ljbab728]

Your perceptions of i44 near Penn being busier than i240 do not seem to be supported by ODOT's statistics. It would not surprise me that i44 would feel busier due to the way it merges with Lake Hefner Parkway, left side exits near Penn and i235 cloverleafs made it prone to slowing down even before construction on i44/i235 juncture was underway.

And there is also the matter that ODOT is not invoved in this project so SoonerBoy can rest a little easier since it doesn't involve the roadway at all.

[Questor]

I was driving in this area earlier this week and I noticed something I had been meaning to comment on... an old car dealership with its signage removed at I-240 and I-35 (just east of). There were tons of either OHP or OCPD cruisers and trucks parked in the lot, so it appeared to be some sort of government storage. The place didn't look so great, and in the past it has looked absolutely awful, overgrown with weeds. Who is utilizing this space?

[Questor]

Your perceptions of i44 near Penn being busier than i240 do not seem to be supported by ODOT's statistics. It would not surprise me that i44 would feel busier due to the way it merges with Lake Hefner Parkway, left side exits near Penn and i235 cloverleafs made it prone to slowing down even before construction on i44/i235 juncture was underway.

That map is really interesting. It looks like the busiest highways in the city are I-40 and everything south of it. It's kind of amazing that so much focus is placed on everything north of 40.

[Larry OKC]

I was driving in this area earlier this week and I noticed something I had been meaning to comment on... an old car dealership with its signage removed at I-240 and I-35 (just east of). There were tons of either OHP or OCPD cruisers and trucks parked in the lot, so it appeared to be some sort of government storage. The place didn't look so great, and in the past it has looked absolutely awful, overgrown with weeds. Who is utilizing this space?

If it is the one I am thinking of, it was a relatively new dealership that moved again "around the corner" on I-35 (Southwest Ford that used to be located off 59th & Penn...where the Wal-Mart Market is now?)???

[jn1780]

I was driving in this area earlier this week and I noticed something I had been meaning to comment on... an old car dealership with its signage removed at I-240 and I-35 (just east of). There were tons of either OHP or OCPD cruisers and trucks parked in the lot, so it appeared to be some sort of government storage. The place didn't look so great, and in the past it has looked absolutely awful, overgrown with weeds. Who is utilizing this space?

Im guessing thats exactly what it is: State of Oklahoma storage. Or maybe somewhere OHP officers can take naps? LOL The state bought the right of way for the interchange back when they thought it would be under construction by now. The new dealership is on 89th and I-35, I think? Somewhere in that area anyway.

They also bulldozed the apartments and homes on the otherside of I-240. So they bulldozed peoples homes, but left the car dealership because of a project delayed over 10 years. Go figure.

[cas]

Can we get somebody to mow along I-240? I don't understand why this highway rarely seems to get mowed?

[Questor]

Larry and jn1780, I think you're right, it's a dealership that moved down the way and it looks like huge numbers of state vehicles parked there now. I just happened to notice it because it seems like maybe they need to mow and weed eat the place more often.

[oneforone]

It was Bob Moore Ford until they moved to 89th and I-35. The state bought it because a flyover ramp or on ramp for I-35 South is going to go right through there when they re-build the interchange. The project is not slated to begin until 2018. In the meantime they are acquiring land and relocating utilities.

OHP is using it as a facility to put new cars in service and take old ones out of service. They usually do this at a ODOT yard located just NE of the FT Smith Junction. The dealership was being vandalized pretty frequently until they started parking OHP cars over there. OHP likely moved this operation over to the old dealership because of the space at the old dealership.

[bombermwc]

I had asked about the Ford dealership months ago. They're using it for a staging/storage area until it's demolished for the new interchange.

They are also mowing the 240 area as we speak.

[Chop]

I do wish the I-240 area would get a good cleaning up starting with bulldozing Crossroads mall & all the apartments west all the way to May Ave.

[ljbab728]

An update.

Oklahoma City to study interest in unified Interstate 240 redevelopment plan | NewsOK.com

[bombermwc]

Step 1 - repave the whole length of the service road!!!!!!!!!

[ljbab728]

An update on this effort.

Promoters of Oklahoma City's I-240 area look to Fort Worth, Texas, for an example | News OK

[bchris02]

An update on this effort.

Promoters of Oklahoma City's I-240 area look to Fort Worth, Texas, for an example | News OK

It's good to see some pro-activeness considering the I-240 corridor. It has declined but its not so far gone it can't be easily revitalized. I think getting rid of the run-down, outdated apartment complexes along I-240 will go a long ways. It would be cool if it could become something similar to how Memorial Rd/Kilpatrick Turnpike is on the north side. That corridor is adjacent to the fast growing SW OKC (West Moore) area so there is a lot of potential. The problem is directly north of I-240 are some of the worst neighborhoods in OKC.

[Plutonic Panda]

So, what I'm curious about, and I've emailed them several times regarding this question and each time they respond, my question is never directly answered. What is the scale of this "project"? I'll try and come up with a rendering soon of what I think it should be (and don't hate if I overkill this), but are we talking completely reconstructing this highway and it's service roads?

It would be better if they lowered the highway slightly below grade and obviously reconstruct it in cement and widen it to 8 lanes(this wouldn't be too important, they could just keep it six lanes, but it doesn't hurt to plan ahead) and widen the service roads to 3 lanes in each direction. Add nice landscaping and internally illuminated signs and if they really wanted to plan ahead, put in HOV lanes. I know this would be very costly and right now, OKC has higher priorities, but I just hope they don't halfass this if they are considering a complete rebuild of the highway. . . IF

The highway seems to be in good shape, it's just freakin ugly and very narrow shoulders. The service roads are in horrible condition (arguably some of the worst in the country) and very small merging time (although better than some highways around here). Well, whatever happens, I hope they are innovative and don't halfass anything.

[catch22]

8 highway lanes and 6 service lanes?

I hope not. 14 lanes is not the answer....

[catch22]

And I think this is more about the corridor than the road itself. Beautification projects, landscaping, encouraging better developments, etc.

[Plutonic Panda]

8 highway lanes and 6 service lanes?

I hope not. 14 lanes is not the answer....

Well, traffic would flow more smoothly, but however you want it done, you can spend a ton of money rebuilding it 6 highway lanes and 2 service lanes. When I said 6 service, I probably should've specified what's already there. So, really you would only have 2 service lanes through and at the intersection, 2 left turn lanes, texas u turn, dedicated right lane, new 8 ft. sidewalks, 10ft. crosswalk sections, 2 through lanes, so not 6 service lanes, I over stated that.

Regarding the highway, 8 lanes wouldn't hurt to plan ahead, but I don't see them doing that. Really, the traffic flows real smooth on this stretch of highway and I just think it doesn't hurt to plan ahead. You're right about 14 lanes, I don't ever see this highway needing that in the long-term future. Also, incorporating wider sidewalks to allow for biking as bike lanes obviously wouldn't work. But, I would like to see the city do this on all the new streets it builds. Do I think this will happen, no.

[Plutonic Panda]

Beautification projects, landscaping, encouraging better developments, etc.

Yes and I think this would be great. I also think, as been mentioned above, the service roads need to be repaved. I this highway has quite a bit more life in it before it needs to be rebuilt. Like I said, I think OKC has much higher priories than spending a couple hundred mill. on this right now. lol

[ljbab728]

The problem is directly north of I-240 are some of the worst neighborhoods in OKC.

And directly south of Memorial and the turnpike are some the worst neighborhoods/apartments in OKC. Your comparison doesn't wash. Many people are not particularly enamored of some of the developments along the Kilpatrick.

[RadicalModerate]

And directly south of Memorial and the turnpike are some the worst neighborhoods/apartments in OKC. Your comparison doesn't wash. Many people are not particular enamored of some of the developments along the Kilpatrick.

Very true . . . very true . . .
But this is about I-240 . . . how about . . . A New Home For Stage Center!!! (no?)

[ljbab728]

Very true . . . very true . . .
But this is about I-240 . . . how about . . . A New Home For Stage Center!!! (no?)

Lovely idea, but no.

[Plutonic Panda]

lol