I-235 / I-44 Interchange

[jn1780]

Luckily, the only traffic they'll have to merge with in the future is southbound to eastbound traffic and then they'll be in line to dodge westbound to southbound traffic. Also, by the end of the project, those clover leaves will be much larger since the flyover ramps will be constructed. Just gonna have to be careful for the next 20 years (joking, joking!) until the project is complete!



It'd also help if they put signs up on NE and NW 63rd showing a left lane I-235, right lane I-44 indicator.

Your not that far off. It will at least be 10 years from start to finish.

[OKCisOK4me]

(you know how peeps can be on here. They misjudge the sarcasm on a regular basis )

[hipsterdoofus]

Luckily, the only traffic they'll have to merge with in the future is southbound to eastbound traffic and then they'll be in line to dodge westbound to southbound traffic. Also, by the end of the project, those clover leaves will be much larger since the flyover ramps will be constructed. Just gonna have to be careful for the next 20 years (joking, joking!) until the project is complete!

Yeah, I can tell from the renderings that it will be nice eventually, but looks like an accident waiting to happen right now. They just exchanged one accident zone for another, basically.

[OKCisOK4me]

If people can't figure out a new interchange ramp then maybe we don't need to build a roundabout bc po' dunk Okies can't figure things out!

[OKCTalker]

There's almost no merge room on the 63rd southbound onto I-235 onramp. I've driven it a couple of times during non-rush periods, and the ramp tosses you right into the number two lane. There's also pretty poor visibility looking over your left shoulder. I tried it this morning at 8:15 and it was backed up by about 15 stopped vehicles, and subsequently the I-235 motorists were backed up quite a ways.

Does anyone know if this is planned to be improved? I'm amazed that they'd open it without a clear path for traffic to merge from the ramp into the right lane.

[hipsterdoofus]

There's almost no merge room on the 63rd southbound onto I-235 onramp. I've driven it a couple of times during non-rush periods, and the ramp tosses you right into the number two lane. There's also pretty poor visibility looking over your left shoulder. I tried it this morning at 8:15 and it was backed up by about 15 stopped vehicles, and subsequently the I-235 motorists were backed up quite a ways.

Does anyone know if this is planned to be improved? I'm amazed that they'd open it without a clear path for traffic to merge from the ramp into the right lane.

That's what i was commenting about - I think they would have been better off leaving that closed until they can make it better.

[OKCTalker]

That's what i was commenting about - I think they would have been better off leaving that closed until they can make it better.

Hip - Didn't see your post. Sorry for the duplicate.

[bombermwc]

I drove throught the junction this weekend. I went from 235 North, to 44 West. I have to say, the onramps to 44 are MUCH improved now that the frontage road is open. You no longer have a concrete wall 5 feet in front of you at the onramp...you have your own lane again. AND, the traffic from the frontage has it's own lane that then runs as a exit only to Western. It's SOOOO much better than it was a few months ago!

Now if we could only pick up the pace on the cloverleaf issue.....

[jn1780]

I drove throught the junction this weekend. I went from 235 North, to 44 West. I have to say, the onramps to 44 are MUCH improved now that the frontage road is open. You no longer have a concrete wall 5 feet in front of you at the onramp...you have your own lane again. AND, the traffic from the frontage has it's own lane that then runs as a exit only to Western. It's SOOOO much better than it was a few months ago!

Now if we could only pick up the pace on the cloverleaf issue.....

Except for the 63rd on-ramp to I-235 of course. I don't see how they can fix that until the entire interchange is rebuilt. Like others have said, they might as well keep it closed.

[OKCisOK4me]

Except for the 63rd on-ramp to I-235 of course. I don't see how they can fix that until the entire interchange is rebuilt. Like others have said, they might as well keep it closed.

Speaking of, I drove this portion to figure out how it is this past weekend. I really couldn't test it cause some moronish woman was entering 235 at 40mph in front of me and while merging directly behind her some other person traveling south on Broadway Extension honked at me as if it were my fault.

So, I can see where you're coming from but I still think it will be better once the overall project is done and you'll only be dealing with clover leaf traffic.

[adaniel]

Speaking of, I drove this portion to figure out how it is this past weekend. I really couldn't test it cause some moronish woman was entering 235 at 40mph in front of me and while merging directly behind her some other person traveling south on Broadway Extension honked at me as if it were my fault.

So, I can see where you're coming from but I still think it will be better once the overall project is done and you'll only be dealing with clover leaf traffic.

Unfortunately that is a really bad habit of some OKC drivers. I really don't mind the drivers here but I have never been in a place where so many people think its perfectly acceptable to get on the freeway at 35-45 mph. And yes the 235/44 interchange is about the worst in the city in this regards.

[OKCisOK4me]

Try from NW Expressway to 74 southbound. I deal with it there all the time & even worse about it is that it's the only two lane merge into one lane ramp that the left merges into the right and people are always driving in the left lane like they own it!

[jn1780]

Speaking of, I drove this portion to figure out how it is this past weekend. I really couldn't test it cause some moronish woman was entering 235 at 40mph in front of me and while merging directly behind her some other person traveling south on Broadway Extension honked at me as if it were my fault.

So, I can see where you're coming from but I still think it will be better once the overall project is done and you'll only be dealing with clover leaf traffic.

Well yeah, the yield lane would also be longer and with better visibility. That's years away though.

[OKCisOK4me]

Well yeah, the yield lane would also be longer and with better visibility. That's years away though.

I know.

[ShiroiHikari]

Try from NW Expressway to 74 southbound. I deal with it there all the time & even worse about it is that it's the only two lane merge into one lane ramp that the left merges into the right and people are always driving in the left lane like they own it!

Tell me about it. I don't get people. It's like they think they're asserting their dominance or something by staying in the left lane as long as possible. There's no room for egos on the interstate! Or at least there shouldn't be.

[bombermwc]

That's when you start driving down the middle line to keep them from squeezing by you. I've done that on the interstate several times wheni see some jerk face trying to run past everyone before the cones force them over. that's the kind of person that the merge now laws were created for. I don't understand why some people will ignore signs just to get a few cars further down the road...like it matters.

[Mr. Cotter]

That's when you start driving down the middle line to keep them from squeezing by you. I've done that on the interstate several times wheni see some jerk face trying to run past everyone before the cones force them over. that's the kind of person that the merge now laws were created for. I don't understand why some people will ignore signs just to get a few cars further down the road...like it matters.

This month, I saw a guy driving a truck get a ticket for driving in the left lane, but matching speeds with the much slower other two lanes.

[Snowman]

This month, I saw a guy driving a truck get a ticket for driving in the left lane, but matching speeds with the much slower other two lanes.

The situation matters in this a great deal. If you are in the left lane, it is not ending and ahead of you is clear then you should not be matching speeds. If you want to match their speed then yield the lane since you are probably blocking traffic at that point.

[vaflyer]

ODOT has amended their STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program) to include the eastbound I-44 ramp to southbound I-235. See item 66 in linked document below. That seems to indicate that ODOT is planning on starting the project in the near future rather than the 2017-2019 time frame as previously stated in the last 8-year program released in October 2011.

http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/p-r-d...amendments.pdf

[jn1780]

ODOT has amended their STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program) to include the eastbound I-44 ramp to southbound I-235. See item 66 in linked document below. That seems to indicate that ODOT is planning on starting the project in the near future rather than the 2017-2019 time frame as previously stated in the last 8-year program released in October 2011.

http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/p-r-d...amendments.pdf

Doing all the "easy" stuff first. By the time they get the four corners done it will be 2017 and about time for the main bridges and flyover bridges to be built.

[Mr. Cotter]

The situation matters in this a great deal. If you are in the left lane, it is not ending and ahead of you is clear then you should not be matching speeds. If you want to match their speed then yield the lane since you are probably blocking traffic at that point.

He was blocking traffic. Purposefully. 98% of the drivers get over to the right two lanes about 3 miles before the left lane ends, and slowly inch their way through the interchange. 2% of the drivers are either unaware that the left lane ends (out of towners), or think their time is somehow more valuable than everyone elses, and zipps past the line, just making everyone take longer by having to merge into a very slow moving lane.

[Snowman]

He was blocking traffic. Purposefully. 98% of the drivers get over to the right two lanes about 3 miles before the left lane ends, and slowly inch their way through the interchange. 2% of the drivers are either unaware that the left lane ends (out of towners), or think their time is somehow more valuable than everyone elses, and zipps past the line, just making everyone take longer by having to merge into a very slow moving lane.

Ok but there are many instances where people also are blocking the far left lane when they should have yielded due to not paying attention to the road around them, because they do not know traffic rules say they should have yielded or are pissed at the person behind them.

[catch22]

I usually block the left lane if it is supposed to end by driving over the white stripes. If you are behind me, you can merge like everyone else did. Do this about 1/2 mile out. Not 2-3 miles out.

[ljbab728]

I usually block the left lane if it is supposed to end by driving over the white stripes. If you are behind me, you can merge like everyone else did. Do this about 1/2 mile out. Not 2-3 miles out.

That may be an effective method but I would think you're leaving yourself open to a possible ticket by doing that.

[catch22]

That may be an effective method but I would think you're leaving yourself open to a possible ticket by doing that.

And by speeding, floating a stop sign, not using a turn indicator, tail light out, etc. you're always open to getting a ticket.