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I think what is more likely is they will make a 3rd express lane that is tolled with i35 and i40
Seems highly unlikely, especially through the metro, given ODOT’s past comments about I-35 already being as wide as it can be.
With the state going away from cash tolls, when will we see the demo of the old cash toll plazas? I am not sure in other states like Texas that went cashless before us what those look like now. I would guess with an expansion, they would be taken out to allow space, but that's not going to happen everywhere.
I think we all know that kind of stuff is possible. But, my questions are the cost and traffic counts that make something like that worth it? I think OKC has enough highways and right of way already that make that kind of expenditure unnecessary for at least 50 years.
I don’t think anyone is advocating for this to be used all over the city or even suggesting that it be done. I will say there is roughly 5 miles on I/35/235 that would greatly benefit from it and would be totally worth it even for just 5 miles. Same with I40. Does it need to be 10 on each to make it worthwhile and profitable maybe so but somewhere in between would dramatically reduce congestion and provide a path to paying for it.
They didn't say I-35 couldn't be expanded, just that it would be extremely expensive because they would have to buy up a lot of land. It's going to have to get done, or we're going to have to stack the interstate in some way. It's getting stupid full. 44 from 240 up to the Hefner split needs more room too, but similar problem for the section north of 40.
The trick is to avoid taking I-35 during rush hour
Does anyone know why I-35 was constructed to jump on I-40 to then go east to continue on I-35? Why would they not track I-35 to the East starting around SE 29th and continue along Trosper property before connecting to that section of I-35?
Have to think that would help both I-40 and I-35 in that area.
That may go back to the legislature did not want I-35 to be more than around a mile from the highway it was replacing in Oklahoma (US 77) where practical to do so. South of OKC downtown it seems that was clearly possible, north of I-40 77 was basically replaced by I-235 & Broadway Extension, so was a more complex/expensive build that did not fully happen at interstate standards till decades later.
Also the Grand Boulevard loop was basically how far OKC proper was built out pre freeways. So our inner loop now, was basically routing traffic around the entire city at the time. Plus traffic count of highways replaced by I-40/I-35 at time of construction would pale in comparison of what either handle today.
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