The New I-40 (Construction Updates)

[Bellaboo]

They are really making some headway on the West end. Wish they would do something on the East end, they haven't touched it since February.

[OKCisOK4me]

Yeah, I went over there and saw that :-( Maybe that's the special effects side for Traber's movie, lol.

[Bellaboo]

Low and behold they are getting after the East tie in again. Last night they were unloading several big pieces of equipement and are now moving dirt.

[jn1780]

Low and behold they are getting after the East tie in again. Last night they were unloading several big pieces of equipement and are now moving dirt.

Was it demolition equipment? Their suppose to start demolishing from the east end pretty soon. The canal will close for a couple of weeks under the bridge in July.

[Bellaboo]

Was it demolition equipment? Their suppose to start demolishing from the east end pretty soon. The canal will close for a couple of weeks under the bridge in July.

All kinds of equipment, cranes, graders, etc. They really are getting after the dirt work today, but they have a demo crane at the site too.

[Plutonic Panda]

It would be really nice to see HOV lanes in OKC

[OKCisOK4me]

It would be really nice to see HOV lanes in OKC

The original renderings for I-40 had barricaded thru lanes but didn't happen.

[ljbab728]

It would be really nice to see HOV lanes in OKC

That would be a totally unneeded expense based on the generally moderate amount of traffic we normally have on our freeways.

[SoonerBoy18]

What are HOV lanes?

[ljbab728]

What are HOV lanes?

HOV means High Occupancy Vehicles. Basically they are traffic lanes on freeways which are designated for vehicles carrying two or more people. Supposedly that promotes car pooling but I think it would currently be of little, if any, value in OKC.

[jn1780]

Things are progressing fast on the west end. They demolished the east half of the old Agnew westbound and are almost done with the frontage road. Once they are done moving the frontage road further north, they will then build the new westbound bridge approach and start decking the new bridge.

[Bellaboo]

They are really getting with the East end now. About 10 pieces of equipment going after it. I noticed the 'destruction' equipment up on the old crosstown deck this morning.

[OKCisOK4me]

Does that mean they're dismantling the portion south of Bass Pro and over the canal?

[Bellaboo]

Does that mean they're dismantling the portion south of Bass Pro and over the canal?

The big machine with the 'hammer point' that they used to tear up the bridge was on top of the west bound lane right at Bass Pro. Not sure where they will start, but it was up there early today.

[OKCisOK4me]

Nice. Thanks!

[kevinpate]

I am impressed with the speed things are progressing. I dinna think it would, but the cynical scoffing of prior days appears rather misplaced.

[Bellaboo]

The crosstown bridge over by Bass Pro is now coming down. They tore quite a bit down yesterday. They had a couple of those big track hoes up there early today which they use to rip the concrete apart.

[okcfollower]

Take a look at this picture of the i40 bridge. http://twitpic.com/9unnq3/full

Thunder Up!

[workman45]

That's cool!!!

[Pete]

Awesome.

[kevinpate]

Paging Cooper Ross, paging Cooper Ross, excellent aerial photo opportunity on aisles 1 - 3 south of the arena.

[OKCisOK4me]

If Cooper doesn't get to it, you know ABC, a la ESPN, will with their aerial shots for the playoffs!

[OKCNDN]

If Cooper doesn't get to it, you know ABC, a la ESPN, will with their aerial shots for the playoffs!

You mean you hope ABC gets this. TNT used old shots which obviously were taken before the old I-40 was closed. In the shots TNT showed there was still traffic on the old I-40.

[kinggober]

They painted "Thunder Up" on I-40 just south of the arena in 23ft tall letters

[BoulderSooner]

You mean you hope ABC gets this. TNT used old shots which obviously were taken before the old I-40 was closed. In the shots TNT showed there was still traffic on the old I-40.

TNT also had live overhead video as well for every Okc home game