The New I-40 (Construction Updates)

[mcca7596]

So it goes.

Best. Response. Ever.

[catch22]

I am going to drive by this as soon as I get off work this morning.

[SSEiYah]

regarding Penn, I was specifically mentioning west bound, Penn exit. It's dangerous, pure & simple. YOU CANNOT SEE THE NORTH BOUND TRAFFIC ON PENN.

Signs, traffic lights, etc., WILL NOT make it safe since the sightline is blocked. PERIOD

I took the westbound exit to Penn yesterday.

I was turning north. In my regular car (low to ground) I had no problem easing up to the point where I could see northbound traffic on penn, no problems at all.

You do have to pull into the crosswalk if there is a car in the left lane next to you, but that is normal with most intersections.

I dont see what is so dangerous about this intersection.

If anything, there should be a walker exit/onramp.

[Larry OKC]

sorry guys, it's dangerous.

totally amazing the lengths you'll ignore and actually justify the street hazard.

you can see by the photos this it's blind. If you disagree fine. If you post you're disagreement, Ill respond. Just so you're sure what I am referring it's those markers on the Penn exit onto Penn which blocks the left side vision. Obviously these markers were misplaced, they should be on the right side, not the left.

I am totally amazed by all the excuses and rationalizations I see here. You can make fun of drivers, you can put up signs, you can forbid right on red, but it is a blind intersection. It is a blind intersection and is not safe.

it's a blind intersection pure and simple. It was just as blind the first time on my motorcycle as the 2nd time in my car. It needs to be fixed

Mr Administrator, do you understand it's a blind intersection?

You mentioned earlier that you were surprised that you were the first one that had mentioned the danger. That is because the danger doesn't exist. I drive it daily and it isn't blind in any stretch of the imagination (and the pics I reposted verify that).

[LowRyter]

You hardly seem to be keeping an open mind while railing against several others.

there's no compromise on safety. if someone points it out, it has to be run to ground and should never be sloughed off. I am amazed at the silly rationalizations posted here.

[Jim Kyle]

No compromise on safety?

Do you mean we should require roll cages on motorcycles, and seat belts to prevent ejection? Or perhaps require them all to be three-wheelers? Some vehicles themselves are safety compromises...

[LowRyter]

I called ODOT today. There have been several other complaints regarding safety. I am not alone and wasn't the first. The state is aware of it. They're considering the courses of action to remedy the situation. Yes, I am fearful it will be some of the half measures considered here.

To summarize, it's a documented safety hazard that the state confirmed must be resolved.

Ultimately those markers will have to be moved to make adequate site lines -anything else is a halfmeasure.

the topic is deader than Monty Python's parrot.

[LowRyter]

No compromise on safety?

Do you mean we should require roll cages on motorcycles, and seat belts to prevent ejection? Or perhaps require them all to be three-wheelers? Some vehicles themselves are safety compromises...

jump in a lake! BTW- I ride 12k motorcycle miles a year.

it only means you're an idiot

the topic is dead. it has ceased to be. just like the parrot

[OKCisOK4me]

I called ODOT today. There have been several other complaints regarding safety. I am not alone and wasn't the first. The state is aware of it. They're considering the courses of action to remedy the situation. Yes, I am fearful it will be some of the half measures considered here.

To summarize, it's a documented safety hazard that the state confirmed must be resolved.

Ultimately those markers will have to be moved to make adequate site lines -anything else is a halfmeasure.

the topic is deader than Monty Python's parrot.

Thank God... That means we can move on and talk about real construction (which is the title of the thread).

[Martin]

it only means you're an idiot

you have already been warned about posts just like this. one more and you're gone. -M

[Bellaboo]

tsk tsk

Why don't you take your convincing style to ODOT and have them hang some big round reflection mirrors at each corner of the intersection so you won't get run over on your motorbike.

[MDot]

Nvm, I misread.

[MDot]

No compromise on safety?

Do you mean we should require roll cages on motorcycles, and seat belts to prevent ejection? Or perhaps require them all to be three-wheelers? Some vehicles themselves are safety compromises...

Haha, exactly

[SoonerBoy18]

I dont know what yall are talking about but, yesterday when My first time on the i-40 when I was headed to the Thunder game, there was a lot of traffic of course cause it was around 5:30 but it was very exciting and I thought "I just know resisdents are extremely happy to be driving on this interstate other than dealing with the traffic of the old crosstown"

[LowRyter]

Why don't you take your convincing style to ODOT and have them hang some big round reflection mirrors at each corner of the intersection so you won't get run over on your motorbike.

tsk tsk, what kind of bike do you ride?

[ljbab728]

I had to drive I40 today to go to a doctors appointment and made a point when going west on I40 to get off at Penn and turn north because I hadn't done that before. I had absolutely no problem seeing both north bound lanes fully before I had to pull out into Penn to turn. Unless someone is totally careless and not looking this is not an issue.

[Bellaboo]

tsk tsk, what kind of bike do you ride?

My toy is a '66 shelby AC cobra......170 mph. I've only had it up to 155 once, but it will keep going...Doing a cruise this weekend, but that's about all I get it out for anymore.

[MDot]

My toy is a '66 shelby AC cobra......170 mph. I've only had it up to 155 once, but it will keep going...Doing a cruise this weekend, but that's about all I get it out for anymore.

I bow down...

[OKCisOK4me]

Saturday is my birthday and whereas I typically work, I'm off. I think I'm going to go downtown and take some updated pics of the old I-40 deconstruction (if it's gotten any further).

[jn1780]

The main difference now is the addition of lights between point A (downtown) and point B (the on-ramp). The extra few blocks on Western requires more turns and stops than before...and there are a LOT of lights for such a short distance. If 2 or 3 of the lights were removed, it would make a big difference...just force the cross-traffic to use a street with a light...funnel it so it's more efficient rather than stopping western for 2 cars to cross.

I'm not saying the number of exits are a bad thing, although i would have placed the western exit/entrance a little further east. But it may not have made sense. Western could have been the best option based on a lot of factors.

I was talking more about access after the boulevard is completed. A Western ramp going westbound on I-40 makes perfect sense because its far enough away from the Robinson ramp and you bypass all the busier interesections in the middle span of the boulevard. Going eastbound, I think hardly anyone is going to go northbound to western from I-40 once the boulevard is completed in that area and getting to Walker on the boulevard would be a lot faster than going north from I-40.

[catch22]

I took the I-40 Eastbound Penn exit and did the right turn on red and had no issues. Neither did any of the cars in front of me, and the ones behind me safely made it through with no honking horns or screeching brakes. I do admit that there was a small visibility issue, but I pulled forward another 2-3 feet (and still clear of the northbound lanes) and I had full visibility. The visibility "issue" (if you could even call it that) was due to my car sitting low and the angle of the bridge, not the decorative "markers".

After you stop at the solid white line before the crosswalk, check for pedestrian traffic, then if clear of pedestrian traffic, pull up about 10 feet to see down the street, pull forward another 2 feet or so to double check, then proceed with your turn. I really don't see the issue, there are MANY more intersections in OKC that are blind, this is not one of them. It just takes a little more attention but there is nothing fundamentally unsafe about this intersection.

[jn1780]

I guess their not going to start demolishing the crosstown until they dig up the westbound approach. The dump trucks are using the old I-40.

[OKCisOK4me]

I guess their not going to start demolishing the crosstown until they dig up the westbound approach. The dump trucks are using the old I-40.

On which end of the project?

[jonno]

I believe the city asked ODOT to hold off on demolition until the end of the Thunder's regular season. I think a bunch of the "important people" park under the crosstown and would lose their parking if the bridge becomes a construction zone.

[jn1780]

On which end of the project?

East end