Worst Freeway Stretch

**JOHNINSOKC** · 11-24-2004, 08:38 AM

Hello everyone!! This is my first post and I have read with interest all of the subjects concerning our city and I have noticed many great ideas and the desire to make this city truly first class. I hope to post more often in the future because I am very interested to see where this city is in 10 to 20 years. One of the subjects that I noticed that comes up a lot is the condition of our roads and freeways in the metro area. One particular area that has concerned me the most is I-40 from the Amarillo junction to Meridian. To me, that is THE worst stretch in the city. The lane markings are hardly visible and there are numerous potholes. Plus, the road surface is so bad, it rattles your car to death. I haven't heard anything about upgrades to the surface, but I am aware of the new barrier that is scheduled to be constructed. Has anyone heard anything regarding the resurfacing of this section? The area is very dangerous, especially when it's raining and during the evening rush hour.

**mranderson** · 11-24-2004, 08:57 AM

For me it is the entire stretch of I-44 from NW Expressway to I-240. It is unpredictable. Some days it is fast paced (I like that) and some it crawls at 20 miles per hour. (I HATE that). The traffic speeds just as you curve onto 240, then stays fast. That is strange.

Until Dell opens the permanant call center in August, I commute from NW Expressway and Portland to SW 89 and Pennsylvania. It takes anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour to get home. After the center opens, it will take me no longer than 15 minutes. Exceptions are rare, but occur.

**metro** · 11-24-2004, 12:27 PM

Not to mention the lack of lighting on I-40 west of the junction

**JOHNINSOKC** · 11-24-2004, 03:06 PM

I know what you mean METRO about the lighting situation. It seems as though we are trying to save electricity or something. I was driving through the Ft Smith junction the other night and all of the lights were off. Why have light poles if they are never going to be on in the first place? Also, the Shields interchange in Moore is the same way. I can understand if the highway goes by a neighborhood, but most of these areas don't. Maybe the transportation dept. needs to be made aware of this, if they haven't been already.

**mranderson** · 11-24-2004, 03:16 PM

Freeway... Lights... Goes without saying. Every freeway needs lights.

**okcpulse** · 11-25-2004, 12:30 AM

JOHNINSOKC, I hope this will help answer your question. According to my sources, the stretch you discussed (I-40 from the Amarillo Interchange to Meridian) is due for surface rehabilitation and restriping next year. ODOT had planned to work on this stretch of freeway earlier in 2005, but had to scale back on road/bridge contracts due to a delay in federal money in Washington, D.C. The bridges at the Amarillo Interchange are currently being rehabilitated, beginning with bridge painting, which is currently under way.

A little history lesson on the Amarillo Interchange. The interchange was completed in 1971. The surface you're driving on between the interchange and Meridian is the original surface. That's 33 years of constant bombardment.

Patrick · 11-29-2004, 11:12 PM

Hey JOHNINSOKC.....by the way, we welcome you to OKC Talk! Thanks for posting! We encourage you to post more often! You're always welcome here! Thanks OKC Pulse for providing us this information. By the way, I've heard that there are pland to widen that stretch of I-40 to 4 lanes on each side....not sure when it's going to happen though.

By the way...in my opinion, for a 1970's interchange, I think it was one of the better designed interchanges in the city. Pretty much everyone gets their own lane when they enter and leave the interchange. I never have understood why people slow down like they do prior to entering the interchange.

mranderson...I know what you mean about the stretch of I-44 you mention. I'm not quite sure why traffic is so bad there though...there's 8 lanes there for most of the way! LOL! I guess there's just so much traffic!

Sooner&RiceGrad · 01-12-2005, 11:38 PM

Some have seen me posting about my home in Surrey Hills, and I work for Integris. I have an enjoyable commute when I goto Canadian Valley, it's juest a hop and a skip down the Kilpatrick. Northwest Baptist is O.K.... it's closest, but you know how the expressway goes. I could shoot myself when I get Southwest though. I get on 44th Street and head to I 35. Rough 'hood... then hop on the rickety old Crosstown, then take that up to the West Outter Loop (what they actually are beginning to call the Kilpatrick) and exit on the expressway and my house is like... 3 minutes from there. This commute takes from 45 minutes to about an hour and 15 minutes. I think the metro's worst congestion exists on I 40... reason land values are sooo low in Yukon (meaning I have a great house for cheap! lol)