I-235 / I-44 Interchange

[OKC Guy]

Yes, there have been at least a couple heavy rainfall events since its completion and I've driven through the trouble area in the midst of one of those. It seems to me that the drainage is greatly improved and I didn't see any significant across-the-road flooding like we've had in the past.

Thanks, thats great news then. I avoid it in huge backups (it always backs up in weather regardless) so hadn’t had a chance to see. It used to be really bad so its great to see they resolved it.

Do they have any pumps or is it all gravity? I do recall some large concrete boxes being put in during construction so they must be doing the work.

[Snowman]

Thanks, thats great news then. I avoid it in huge backups (it always backs up in weather regardless) so hadn’t had a chance to see. It used to be really bad so its great to see they resolved it.

Do they have any pumps or is it all gravity? I do recall some large concrete boxes being put in during construction so they must be doing the work.

It is all going to be gravity. There is a fairly deep ~100 foot wide river bed directly south of where 235 & 44 cross with a tributary paralleling 235 to the railroad on the west side, so how drainage was bad in that area previously is a bit stunning, since that is probably one of the easier places on the interstate system to construct drainage when needed. It seems like the original team just underestimate the flow they needed, and with basically no retention area for pooling on parts of the east side it seems inconceivable they would not have known they needed some level of drainage.

[OKC Guy]

Major phase of ongoing construction project on I-235 in Oklahoma City to begin soon
POSTED 2:04 PM, MARCH 15, 2019, BY LILI ZHENG, UPDATED AT 06:18PM, MARCH 15, 2019

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A major phase of the ongoing construction project at the state's largest interstate work zone will begin later this month.

The two-year project, set to begin March 25, will primarily impact northbound and southbound I-235 between N. 50th St. and N. 63rd St.; however, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation says the interstate will remain open to two lanes of traffic in each direction majority of the time.

"It’s probably going to be the most disruptive [phase] because we normally work from the outside of an interchange and work our way into the interchange, so this is going to be right in the heart in the interchange over I-44 on I-235 where two major interstates intersect," Terri Angier with ODOT said. "Each of these interstates carry over about 100,000 cars a day so it’s a major, major project for us."

One of those drivers is Arthur Weschler. He lives in Dallas but is on the road frequently for work.

"As a traveling salesman, yes. I run into this all over Texas and Oklahoma. I prefer they do the construction at night when there’s less traffic. During the day, it becomes a major nuisance," Weschler said. "You can’t say it enough, you just got to be patient going through the construction."

In total, the project includes 11 new bridges with two flyover bridges to be built during this next phase.

"It’s going to look much like the ones we see in Dallas or other major metropolitan areas and it’s going to have two very long flyover bridges that tie over the ramp," Angier said. "It’s almost hard to imagine what it will look like, because we’ve never had one like this in the state but we are very excited that it will move traffic more than anything, a lot more smoothly than it does today."

ODOT is encouraging motorists to start planning now for the following traffic impacts later in the project:

Up to four full weekend closures of I-235 to remove and hang bridge beams;
One weekend closure of I-44 for bridge beams;
A nearly two-month closure of the northbound I-235 off-ramp to N. 63rd St.;
Closure of the northbound I-235 off-ramp to N. 50th St. to complete the ramp widening;
Intermittent lane closures of N. 50th St. and Santa Fe Ave. for intersection modification; and
An up to two week closure of the southbound I-235/US-77 off-ramp to eastbound I-44 and the westbound I-44 on-ramp to southbound I-235 while these two clover leaf ramps are widened and improved.

https://kfor.com/2019/03/15/major-ph...to-begin-soon/

[jn1780]

So it begins.............Again ...........Monday.

Looks like I-235 Northbound in the afternoon is a no go now. Already bad with that bottleneck.

[OKC Guy]

So it begins.............Again ...........Monday.

Looks like I-235 Northbound in the afternoon is a no go now. Already bad with that bottleneck.

Ironically this is one of the best weeks of year to drive it with spring break and school out its been great. And we are going from best of the year to worst (and 2 years of worst).

I wonder what kind of early finish incentives are built in maybe with luck it only takes 1.5 years vice 2. We had good weather for the last phase but I am afraid that may not repeat again. At least it starts in early spring vice late fall so has a chance to get off running.

We’ll see how much rain we get this weekend though.

Mon will likely be a major problem. People coming back from break will forget about this until they get stuck in it.

I also noticed southbound they are prepong for some work and had flashing signs saying work starts Mon. Is that just warning drivers who may come back north or are they going to work on south at same time? I thought north was where next week starts but maybe there’s some road overlap and they need to slow southbound too.

[jn1780]

There is a traffic camera near the interchange that has a halfway decent point of view.

https://www.oktraffic.org/cameras/ca..._55_30_89.jpg#

[Of Sound Mind]

There is a traffic camera near the interchange that has a halfway decent point of view.

https://www.oktraffic.org/cameras/ca..._55_30_89.jpg#

Thanks for this! I didn't know this cam existed. I've seen the cams along 235, but not this one!

[bombermwc]

I'm still frustrated that we are ignoring the partially completed 240/35 interchange still. I'm not saying that the 44/235 one isn't a mess and needs to be done, but i'd like to see 240 completed too. There are still some weird areas with that interchange because of its sort-of-complete state.

[jn1780]

I'm still frustrated that we are ignoring the partially completed 240/35 interchange still. I'm not saying that the 44/235 one isn't a mess and needs to be done, but i'd like to see 240 completed too. There are still some weird areas with that interchange because of its sort-of-complete state.

?

It feels like its incomplete because it is incomplete. I think in a year or two it starts back up.

[BoulderSooner]

I'm still frustrated that we are ignoring the partially completed 240/35 interchange still. I'm not saying that the 44/235 one isn't a mess and needs to be done, but i'd like to see 240 completed too. There are still some weird areas with that interchange because of its sort-of-complete state.

?

It feels like its incomplete because it is incomplete. I think in a year or two it starts back up.

84 mil in 2021 on the ODOT 8 year plan

[Of Sound Mind]

Maybe we can discuss the 240/35 issue on the 240/35 thread instead of the 235/44 thread.

[bombermwc]

Thanks Of Sound Mound, i was worried that the forum police wouldn't come tell me what to do....

My reason for discussing it here was because the 235/44 project seems to be taking the front seat and eating up the lions share of the funds while the 240 project gets left with the scraps. They already did a comparatively crappy job on the design and quality portions compared to what's being done on 235. So like usual, the south side project seems to be getting the shaft.

[Pete]

I noticed last night they had earth movers all around the I-44/I-235 intersection and had started to clear trees.

[jedicurt]

Thanks Of Sound Mound, i was worried that the forum police wouldn't come tell me what to do....

My reason for discussing it here was because the 235/44 project seems to be taking the front seat and eating up the lions share of the funds while the 240 project gets left with the scraps. They already did a comparatively crappy job on the design and quality portions compared to what's being done on 235. So like usual, the south side project seems to be getting the shaft.

the funds for each project are separate. it's all a matter of when they were planned in the 8 year plan. remember that the I-235/I-44 exchange started years before anything at I-240/I-35... and so i'm certain there are those who thought that project ate into the timelines of this one... but the reality is that these things are planned out years in advance so that they can maximize both the State Budget, as well as the Federal Dollars for each project.

[jn1780]

the funds for each project are separate. it's all a matter of when they were planned in the 8 year plan. remember that the I-235/I-44 exchange started years before anything at I-240/I-35... and so i'm certain there are those who thought that project ate into the timelines of this one... but the reality is that these things are planned out years in advance so that they can maximize both the State Budget, as well as the Federal Dollars for each project.

The designs of both seem similar to me(half of the cloverleaf eliminated).2 to 3 years apart in construction is not that long when you take into consideration that these have been talked about for 10 plus years.

Edit: I would almost argue that the 240 interchanges is a little bit better of a design how there is only one cloverleaf for each direction travel as opposed to having dedicated land for cloverleaf traffic like for 235.

[OKC Guy]

Thanks Of Sound Mound, i was worried that the forum police wouldn't come tell me what to do....

My reason for discussing it here was because the 235/44 project seems to be taking the front seat and eating up the lions share of the funds while the 240 project gets left with the scraps. They already did a comparatively crappy job on the design and quality portions compared to what's being done on 235. So like usual, the south side project seems to be getting the shaft.

235/44 was planned long long ago way before 240. Here is an article from 2010 but it way before that they started planning and figuring out when to ask for money:

Plans Revealed For I-235, I-44 Interchange Makeover
Wednesday, December 29th 2010, 7:43 PM PST

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Metro residents are getting a glimpse into the future at Oklahoma's brand new "super highway," but don't expect it to be complete anytime soon.

Plans are now in place to make over the interstate interchange at I-235 and I-44 in northwest Oklahoma City. Work begins next year, but it could take up to 10 years to complete the entire makeover that includes expanded lanes on I-235 and new on and off ramps for the connections to I-44.

The total cost of the project is $150 million and is being paid for with state and federal funds, and that is part of the reason the project will take so long to complete.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, the money it takes to get the entire job complete isn't available all at once. ODOT receives only a certain amount of funds every fiscal year, and that's why the project is divided into different phases.

http://www.news9.com/story/13757717/...hange-makeover

[Of Sound Mind]

Thanks Of Sound Mound, i was worried that the forum police wouldn't come tell me what to do....

Of Sound MIND... but you are most welcome regardless.

My reason for discussing it here was because the 235/44 project seems to be taking the front seat and eating up the lions share of the funds while the 240 project gets left with the scraps.

But your focus was on 240, which has its own thread... and these threads get derailed enough as it is... if you want compare and contrast, and lament 240 getting the shaft, there's a whole thread dedicated to that project.

So like usual, the south side project seems to be getting the shaft.

As it should be

[jn1780]

No project is getting the shaft.

[jccouger]

As it should be

???

Can't tell if you are joking or not.

[Of Sound Mind]

???

Can't tell if you are joking or not.

Just pokin' the bear... I do wish they would move that project along with greater vigor, but alas that discussion is for another thread... ;-)

[Plutonic Panda]

No project is getting the shaft.

It could be argued that the OG&E center got the shaft. You know, the canceled OG&E complex due northwest of Lake Ballsack.

[bombermwc]

The reason i feel like the 240 project is getting the shaft, is that they completed only 1 portion of the entire project on 240. Yes, it was the most helpful in getting traffic moving from a mile-long backed-up southbound on-ramp. But in that same time, they haven't touched a single other portion of the project. Not to mention the portions they have done, were POORLY done and their "design" elements aren't even square. They don't line up at all. South got misaligned squares. 235 got artistic buffalo scenes. Come on. All the while, we're down to the very last phase of the 235/44 project to basically finish the majority of it off. What's left after this phase is minor in comparison.

So yeah, it does feel like the 240 interchange is getting the shaft because its not being given the same attention as the other concurrent project. The 240 junction issues are what cause so much of the 35 traffic to get bottle necked and slow down because of the way they merge/etc. If we can get this project completed, it helps 35 more than it helps 240. 240 itself is flowing great after phase 1. It's the merging to 35 (mostly south, but those dang cloverleafs are still extremely dangerous) that still sucks, but at least doesn't back up like it did now that there are 2 ramp lanes.

The projects are separate, but they are interwoven in terms of budget cycles. So yeah, i'll keep talking about it here if i feel like its relevant to what's going on with 235. Since 240 is comparatively a lot more simple and less expensive, it makes even less sense that its being ignored so much.

[TheTravellers]

The way OKC and ODOT prioritize projects is just bizarre sometimes. Why start 100 of them, then let 90 sit idle for months? This is the most annoying metro area I've lived WRT road construction due to this. NW 30th between May and Penn is a 2-lane road 1 mile long, yet it's taken them weeks (if not months by this point) to strip and resurface it (they're not done yet) - why not just start, bang it out, finish it, move on to the next one, instead of hopscotching around on 100 of them (which is *way* more disruptive to *way* more people).

[jedicurt]

The reason i feel like the 240 project is getting the shaft, is that they completed only 1 portion of the entire project on 240. Yes, it was the most helpful in getting traffic moving from a mile-long backed-up southbound on-ramp. But in that same time, they haven't touched a single other portion of the project. Not to mention the portions they have done, were POORLY done and their "design" elements aren't even square. They don't line up at all. South got misaligned squares. 235 got artistic buffalo scenes. Come on. All the while, we're down to the very last phase of the 235/44 project to basically finish the majority of it off. What's left after this phase is minor in comparison.

So yeah, it does feel like the 240 interchange is getting the shaft because its not being given the same attention as the other concurrent project. The 240 junction issues are what cause so much of the 35 traffic to get bottle necked and slow down because of the way they merge/etc. If we can get this project completed, it helps 35 more than it helps 240. 240 itself is flowing great after phase 1. It's the merging to 35 (mostly south, but those dang cloverleafs are still extremely dangerous) that still sucks, but at least doesn't back up like it did now that there are 2 ramp lanes.

The projects are separate, but they are interwoven in terms of budget cycles. So yeah, i'll keep talking about it here if i feel like its relevant to what's going on with 235. Since 240 is comparatively a lot more simple and less expensive, it makes even less sense that its being ignored so much.

it was planned this way to start with... if anything, think of it if they had pushed off all of it till they were going to do the whole thing? then we would still have the old terrible 240-to-35 exit, and that would be really shafting those that use it.

the basically pushed up literally the worst part of it to alleviate the biggest problems, so it was done sooner for all who use...

it's all a matter of perspective.

[jn1780]

While its unfortunate there are no buffalo(I imagine close proximity to the capital is why they put buffalo at I-235 and I-44), I-235 will see a significantly greater improvement to traffic flow then I-35 post construction. If your arguing for I-240 then sure I would buy that argument since the dangerous merge lanes are on I-240 and I-240 will see an extra lane added in both directions. I-240 is about equal in terms of traffic count to I-235 though.