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gopokes88
11-30-2020, 12:19 PM
As much sh!t as I love to talk on OkDOT they have really been doing great things lately and I’m happy to see this project expedited!

Too bad budget cuts are coming

HOT ROD
12-04-2020, 06:15 PM
any renderings?


new odot 8 year plan

I-35: OVER THE I-240 JCT. RECONSTR INTERCHANGE
JP# 0903205 FFY 2021 INTERCHANGE (PHASE IB) $ 11,500,000
JP# 0903206 FFY 2023 INTERCHANGE (PHASE II) $ 27,799,583
JP# 0903207 FFY 2025 INTERCHANGE (PHASE III) $ 34,503,841
JP# 0903208 FFY 2021 INTERCHANGE (PHASE IV) $ 42,213,340
$116,016,764

Plutonic Panda
12-04-2020, 06:35 PM
16606

https://oklahoma.gov/odot/programs-and-projects/public-meetings-and-hearings/20150611.html

BoulderSooner
12-09-2020, 12:10 PM
new odot 8 year plan

I-35: OVER THE I-240 JCT. RECONSTR INTERCHANGE
JP# 0903205 FFY 2021 INTERCHANGE (PHASE IB) $ 11,500,000
JP# 0903206 FFY 2023 INTERCHANGE (PHASE II) $ 27,799,583
JP# 0903207 FFY 2025 INTERCHANGE (PHASE III) $ 34,503,841
JP# 0903208 FFY 2021 INTERCHANGE (PHASE IV) $ 42,213,340
$116,016,764

this info was from the previous 8 year plan ... my apoligies

new current info

I-35: OVER THE I-240 JCT. RECONSTR INTERCHANGE (PHASE IB)
JP# 903205 FFY 2021 INTERCHANGE $ 28,000,000
JP# 903206 FFY 2023 INTERCHANGE $ 21,200,000
JP# 903207 FFY 2025 INTERCHANGE $ 20,000,000
JP# 903208 FFY 2027 INTERCHANGE $ 30,000,000
$ 99,200,000

with PHASE IV moved back 6 years .

Plutonic Panda
08-04-2021, 12:03 PM
It looks like the next phase will be let for bid in October. Maybe ODOT will go with the original plan to do multiple phases given their budget situation has improved. One can only hope.

Page 75 if anyone wants to see it for themselves: https://www.odot.org/tcomm/agendas21/tc_agenda-202108-r.pdf

vaflyer
10-02-2021, 04:13 PM
ODOT is current planning on letting the contracts for Phases II, III, and IV in March 2023 (per new 8-year construction plan).

Plutonic Panda
10-02-2021, 05:38 PM
ODOT is current planning on letting the contracts for Phases II, III, and IV in March 2023 (per new 8-year construction plan).
I saw the new 8yr plan was going to be voted on Monday but is there somewhere you can go to see it now?

Also, if I’m reading that right, that basically means they will do the whole thing at once expediting the revised schedule which they’ve changed so many times I lost track. That’s good because phase IV wasn’t even supposed to be let until 2025 IIRC.

I didn’t see any movement on the next phase which I was under the assumption was to be let this month, on Monday. When is that phase supposed to start?

warreng88
10-05-2021, 10:19 AM
The Oklahoman reporting funding in place for this:

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/10/04/full-funding-place-rebuild-240-and-35-junction-oklahoma-city/5996233001/

BoulderSooner
10-05-2021, 10:44 AM
I saw the new 8yr plan was going to be voted on Monday but is there somewhere you can go to see it now?

Also, if I’m reading that right, that basically means they will do the whole thing at once expediting the revised schedule which they’ve changed so many times I lost track. That’s good because phase IV wasn’t even supposed to be let until 2025 IIRC.

I didn’t see any movement on the next phase which I was under the assumption was to be let this month, on Monday. When is that phase supposed to start?

https://oklahoma.gov/odot/programs-and-projects/8-year-construction-work-plan.html

BoulderSooner
10-05-2021, 10:45 AM
I-35: At the i-240 jct. Reconst interchg.
Jp# 903206 ffy 2023 interchange $ 28,840,000
jp# 903207 ffy 2023 interchange $ 30,900,000
jp# 903208 ffy 2023 interchange $ 30,900,000
$ 90,640,000

G.Walker
10-05-2021, 11:27 AM
This can't come soon enough...

ChrisHayes
10-05-2021, 04:02 PM
This can't come soon enough...

I agree! I HATE getting on 35 north from I-240 eastbound. It's so aggravating and dangerous.

jompster
10-05-2021, 08:15 PM
I agree! I HATE getting on 35 north from I-240 eastbound. It's so aggravating and dangerous.

That particular movement is that bad because it seems to have a lot of movement through it AND a lot of people don't know how to maneuver a cloverleaf properly.

baralheia
02-22-2022, 02:33 PM
With FFY 2023 starting just over 3 months away, as a nearby resident I'm very eager to see this project finally get finished. ODOT's 8-year plan says that the three remaining phases of construction should all begin in FFY2023, and the Oklahoman has reported that funding is in place. Does anyone have any idea when ODOT will start letting this project out to bid, and when we can start seeing dirt moving?

Plutonic Panda
02-23-2022, 03:56 AM
With FFY 2023 starting just over 3 months away, as a nearby resident I'm very eager to see this project finally get finished. ODOT's 8-year plan says that the three remaining phases of construction should all begin in FFY2023, and the Oklahoman has reported that funding is in place. Does anyone have any idea when ODOT will start letting this project out to bid, and when we can start seeing dirt moving?
This has confused me. I took to Google and asked about fiscal years and the results said fiscal year 2023 doesn’t start until October of 2022? That’s 7 months away.

https://www.calendarpedia.com/fiscal-calendar-2023-pdf-templates.html

MagzOK
02-23-2022, 06:01 AM
Yes, FY2023 starts October 1.

DowntownMan
02-23-2022, 07:54 AM
This has confused me. I took to Google and asked about fiscal years and the results said fiscal year 2023 doesn’t start until October of 2022? That’s 7 months away.

https://www.calendarpedia.com/fiscal-calendar-2023-pdf-templates.html

Oklahoma budget years start July 1

baralheia
02-23-2022, 08:09 AM
Oklahoma budget years start July 1

Exactly this. The state's fiscal year does not follow the calendar year, and each new FY begins 6 months before the calendar year on July 1.

king183
02-23-2022, 08:47 AM
States' fiscal year begins in July 1, with the exception of 4 states; federal government fiscal year begins October 1.

Snowman
02-23-2022, 05:23 PM
This has confused me. I took to Google and asked about fiscal years and the results said fiscal year 2023 doesn’t start until October of 2022? That’s 7 months away.

https://www.calendarpedia.com/fiscal-calendar-2023-pdf-templates.html

Every business and state can set what time their fiscal year starts, the October date may be referring to when Google sets their fiscal year to start. There is various reasons to chose different times of the year, the beginning of January/April/July/October tend to be the most common to line up with quarters of the year.

Plutonic Panda
02-23-2022, 05:39 PM
Every business and state can set what time their fiscal year starts, the October date may be referring to when Google sets their fiscal year to start. There is various reasons to chose different times of the year, the beginning of January/April/July/October tend to be the most common to line up with quarters of the year.
ODOT has theirs abbreviated FFY which unless I’m mistaken means federal fiscal year so that would mean ODOT goes by federal then?

HOT ROD
02-23-2022, 06:24 PM
dup

HOT ROD
02-23-2022, 06:26 PM
state and federal govt fiscal calendars begin Jul 1. As a result many companies also adopt the same, such as my company.

Snowman
02-23-2022, 06:29 PM
ODOT has theirs abbreviated FFY which unless I’m mistaken means federal fiscal year so that would mean ODOT goes by federal then?

Looking around on ODOTs site has me a bit more confused on what they use. They seem to usually write there reports based on the states federal year, but the also use FFY in some places which does sound like probably federal, but given that federal funding can be between a few to several times what the state matches, the federal year probably does have more impact on when they can send bids out.

rte66man
02-24-2022, 08:26 AM
Looking around on ODOTs site has me a bit more confused on what they use. They seem to usually write there reports based on the states federal year, but the also use FFY in some places which does sound like probably federal, but given that federal funding can be between a few to several times what the state matches, the federal year probably does have more impact on when they can send bids out.

I believe they have to use FFY in order to correctly show how the Federal funds are allocated. It's been too long ago for me to remember the details.

ChrisHayes
08-05-2022, 10:02 AM
Any updates on when construction should be starting on rebuilding this interchange?

Video Expert
08-08-2022, 10:57 AM
Any updates on when construction should be starting on rebuilding this interchange?

Anyone??? Thanks in advance.

Plutonic Panda
08-08-2022, 10:59 AM
Anyone??? Thanks in advance.
ODOT has plans to basically start the rest of the phases next year. My guess is that they let the contract to bid and groundbreaking to start either spring or the summer with major construction beginning within a month or two. Hopefully this project will be in full swing by the fall or winter of 2023.

BoulderSooner
08-08-2022, 11:00 AM
Anyone??? Thanks in advance.

https://www.odot.org/cwp-8-year-plan/cwp_ffy2022-ffy2029/8_year_cwp_districtokc_map.pdf

I-35: AT THE I-240 JCT. RECONST INTERCHG.
JP# 903206 FFY 2023 INTERCHANGE $ 28,840,000
JP# 903207 FFY 2023 INTERCHANGE $ 30,900,000
JP# 903208 FFY 2023 INTERCHANGE $ 30,900,000
$ 90,640,000

HOT ROD
08-08-2022, 10:42 PM
any renders

Prunesmoothie
08-08-2022, 11:29 PM
New FY started July 1st so construction could start at anytime?


https://www.odot.org/cwp-8-year-plan/cwp_ffy2022-ffy2029/8_year_cwp_districtokc_map.pdf

I-35: AT THE I-240 JCT. RECONST INTERCHG.
JP# 903206 FFY 2023 INTERCHANGE $ 28,840,000
JP# 903207 FFY 2023 INTERCHANGE $ 30,900,000
JP# 903208 FFY 2023 INTERCHANGE $ 30,900,000
$ 90,640,000

LakeEffect
08-09-2022, 06:45 AM
New FY started July 1st so construction could start at anytime?

FFY is Federal Fiscal Year, which starts October 1.

baralheia
08-09-2022, 09:00 AM
FFY is Federal Fiscal Year, which starts October 1.

And ODOT still needs to solicit bids and select a contractor as well before construction can start. I don't see them included in the July or August bid package; I wouldn't expect to see this project let to bid before Oct 1, and it'll be several months after that before construction can begin.

G.Walker
08-09-2022, 09:08 AM
They should get started on this soon, since funding isn't an issue with billions of infrastructure aid coming to Oklahoma.

This should get started in the Spring of 2023.

clz46
08-09-2022, 11:41 AM
I can't tell if the bridge over belle isle/Penn Square area is on that list. I understood that was suppose to be lowered to ground level.

BoulderSooner
08-09-2022, 12:25 PM
I can't tell if the bridge over belle isle/Penn Square area is on that list. I understood that was suppose to be lowered to ground level.

i don't believe this is a thing that has ever been approved ...

LakeEffect
08-09-2022, 01:08 PM
i don't believe this is a thing that has ever been approved ...

ODOT staff have talked about it, in industry luncheons, but they haven't ever settled on a design choice. As far as I'm aware, I don't think they've even finished their analysis of alternatives...

Pete
10-11-2022, 08:29 AM
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/35240100822a.jpg

Laramie
10-11-2022, 11:58 AM
https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/2016/12/06/NOKL/ghnewsok-OK-5529733-7c5d1e0e.jpeg

I-35/I-240 Crossroads interchange project in south Oklahoma City; http://www.poeandassociates.com/portfolio/m.projects/221/view/52

I-35/I-240 Crossroads interchange project in south Oklahoma City; https://oklahoma.gov/odot/citizen/major-projects/upcoming-projects/crossroads-renewal-240.html

Are there any updates pics to I-35/I-240 crossroads Interchange project. Haven't seen much in the way of progress, BoulderSooner, Rte66man have you or anyone come across any more information on this interchange.

Plutonic Panda
10-11-2022, 12:09 PM
^^^ Laramie, thank you for posting that graphic but it is incredibly out of date. Much of it now isn't even scheduled to start until 2025 which is absurd.

BoulderSooner
10-11-2022, 12:35 PM
Phase II, III, IV in FFY 25

I-35: OVER THE I-240 JCT. (PHASE II) RECONST INTERCHG.
09032(06) FFY 2025
OKLAHOMA Div. 4 IS035 0.500 Mi. Let 04/2025 $38,160,000.00

I-35 @ THE I-240 JCT (PHASE III) RECONST INTERCHG. SMC
09032(07) FFY 2025 90/10
OKLAHOMA Div. 4 IS035 0.500 Mi. Let 04/2025 $27,560,000.00

I-35 @ THE I-240 JCT (PHASE IV)RECONST INTERCHG
09032(08) FFY 2025
OKLAHOMA Div. 4 IS035 0.500 Mi. Let 04/2025 $27,560,000.00

bombermwc
10-13-2022, 07:58 AM
Yeah im kinda pissed that they keep pushing this back.

Am i looking forward to the mess it's going to create, hecks no. But there always seems to be a reason to bump parts of this one. And hopefully they do a better job than they did with the first phase. That's the bumpiest new asphalt ive ever seen. And what's dumb is that you could see how it was going to be bumpy. They didn't grade the land smoothly and just laid the asphalt on top...so bump city you get. I can't believe someone didn't inspect this or if they did, allowed it to pass.

Video Expert
10-14-2022, 01:07 PM
While we have differing opinions on the root causes of why Oklahoma road projects keep getting pushed or are constantly underfunded, Panda is correct about how ridiculously cheap and short sighted ODOT has been for decades. There's no excuse that this interchange...a major Interstate and an Urban Interstate loop inside the largest Metropolitan area in the State, has remained a basic cloverleaf since constructed the mid-late 1960s and here we are in 2022 and the reconstruction project keeps getting pushed and pushed further out. Everyone who drives or has ever driven in this area knows it is an extremely dangerous interchange as is, and was not designed to ever carry anywhere near the amount of traffic it does currently.

I know Panda loves 5 stacks and you can't drive more than a few miles anywhere in DFW without encountering one that's been around for some time or one that's under construction, but why has ODOT continually skimped on road projects and upgrades going back decades? Hell, I'd be ecstatic with a few 3-4 stacks at this point. To have only one phase of this project completed to date is ridiculous. It should have been upgraded during the I-35 widening project that began in 1989 and was completed a few years ago. All they have done in 50+ years is buy out and demolish the houses on the NW side of the interchange and build the EB 240 to SB 35 portion...the cheap portion with no bridges.

And it's not just this interchange. I-40/I-44 interchange is also ridiculous and outdated. You go from a 10 lane Interstate from the East down to a four lane for thru traffic WB because they were too cheap to rebuild or add lanes to the existing overpasses/bridges over I-44 when they reconstructed the I-40 Crosstown. I-44 N and S bound goes from 8 lanes to 4 as well and has for decades when they extended the old I-244 (currently I-44) north of I-40. That's why that interchange has been a dangerous bottleneck going back many years. Face it...it's the bridges/overpasses that cost the most and need the extra Right of Way. That's why ODOT just loves 1950's era Cloverleafs all those "Left Exits"...so they can build low budget at grade ramps with only a single bridge/overpass or none at all in some cases. Left exit's are fine when you're exiting on Business 40 to go into Clinton or El Reno, but not for two major Interstates carrying over 100,000 vehicles per day total inside a city as large as OKC.

While they're finally doing something about US75 and I-44 in Tulsa after all these years, when are they going to upgrade the BA and I-44 interchange that's massively outdated? How about an upgrade to I-35...maybe one of the busiest corridors for commercial trucking in the nation, in the area between the Ft. Smith junction and the I-44/I-35 Interchange? Other than reconfiguring the NE 23rd circle over I-35 a few years back, this 4 lane stretch of I-35 has remained virtually the same since it was constructed in the late 1950s. In fact, this was the first stretch of Interstate built in Oklahoma after passage of the Eisenhower Federal Highway Act of 1956. And you can tell by looking at the overpasses over 10th and 23rd how old it actually is.

And the OTA is not far behind when it comes to being cheap even though bonds and user tolls pay for those roads. Having no direct exit built in 1992 from Southbound US 77 to E.B. JKT was cheap and short sighted. Same with the Interchange of the JKT and the Lake Hefner Parkway. It's absurd that one must exit the JKT going Westbound to a traffic light, and then get on the LHP going southbound from there. Same going NB LHP to WB JKT. I know JKT didn't exist west of LHP when it was first constructed, but they always knew they were going to expand JKT Westbound and should have budgeted to reconfigure that interchange when they did the extension.

Ok...I'm done. Had to get that off my chest. Sorry I deviated away from the I-35/I-240 discussion in all that. Thank you.

HangryHippo
10-14-2022, 01:38 PM
While we have differing opinions on the root causes of why Oklahoma road projects keep getting pushed or are constantly underfunded, Panda is correct about how ridiculously cheap and short sighted ODOT has been for decades. There's no excuse that this interchange...a major Interstate and an Urban Interstate loop inside the largest Metropolitan area in the State, has remained a basic cloverleaf since constructed the mid-late 1960s and here we are in 2022 and the reconstruction project keeps getting pushed and pushed further out. Everyone who drives or has ever driven in this area knows it is an extremely dangerous interchange as is, and was not designed to ever carry anywhere near the amount of traffic it does currently.

I know Panda loves 5 stacks and you can't drive more than a few miles anywhere in DFW without encountering one that's been around for some time or one that's under construction, but why has ODOT continually skimped on road projects and upgrades going back decades? Hell, I'd be ecstatic with a few 3-4 stacks at this point. To have only one phase of this project completed to date is ridiculous. It should have been upgraded during the I-35 widening project that began in 1989 and was completed a few years ago. All they have done in 50+ years is buy out and demolish the houses on the NW side of the interchange and build the EB 240 to SB 35 portion...the cheap portion with no bridges.

And it's not just this interchange. I-40/I-44 interchange is also ridiculous and outdated. You go from a 10 lane Interstate from the East down to a four lane for thru traffic WB because they were too cheap to rebuild or add lanes to the existing overpasses/bridges over I-44 when they reconstructed the I-40 Crosstown. I-44 N and S bound goes from 8 lanes to 4 as well and has for decades when they extended the old I-244 (currently I-44) north of I-40. That's why that interchange has been a dangerous bottleneck going back many years. Face it...it's the bridges/overpasses that cost the most and need the extra Right of Way. That's why ODOT just loves 1950's era Cloverleafs all those "Left Exits"...so they can build low budget at grade ramps with only a single bridge/overpass or none at all in some cases. Left exit's are fine when you're exiting on Business 40 to go into Clinton or El Reno, but not for two major Interstates carrying over 100,000 vehicles per day total inside a city as large as OKC.

While they're finally doing something about US75 and I-44 in Tulsa after all these years, when are they going to upgrade the BA and I-44 interchange that's massively outdated? How about an upgrade to I-35...maybe one of the busiest corridors for commercial trucking in the nation, in the area between the Ft. Smith junction and the I-44/I-35 Interchange? Other than reconfiguring the NE 23rd circle over I-35 a few years back, this 4 lane stretch of I-35 has remained virtually the same since it was constructed in the late 1950s. In fact, this was the first stretch of Interstate built in Oklahoma after passage of the Eisenhower Federal Highway Act of 1956. And you can tell by looking at the overpasses over 10th and 23rd how old it actually is.

And the OTA is not far behind when it comes to being cheap even though bonds and user tolls pay for those roads. Having no direct exit built in 1992 from Southbound US 77 to E.B. JKT was cheap and short sighted. Same with the Interchange of the JKT and the Lake Hefner Parkway. It's absurd that one must exit the JKT going Westbound to a traffic light, and then get on the LHP going southbound from there. Same going NB LHP to WB JKT. I know JKT didn't exist west of LHP when it was first constructed, but they always knew they were going to expand JKT Westbound and should have budgeted to reconfigure that interchange when they did the extension.

Ok...I'm done. Had to get that off my chest. Sorry I deviated away from the I-35/I-240 discussion in all that. Thank you.

All of it is spot on!

Plutonic Panda
10-14-2022, 02:51 PM
Video Expert, you hit the nail on the head! As much as I love five stacks I’d be more than thrilled to just see a 3 stack. This interchange is probably one of, if not the most, needed road project in the entire state.

chssooner
10-14-2022, 04:43 PM
A big reason is that federal transport dollars don't come to Oklahoma. For some reason, we don't get money the same way Texas does, or even in proportion. I don't know why that is, but it causes delays all the time.

HOT ROD
10-15-2022, 03:30 PM
I40/I35/I235 qualifies (barely) as a 3 stack and there is a 5 stack in NW OKC and a new 4 stack that should have been a 5 at I44/I235, but I agree wholeheartedly, as many freeway interchanges OKC has they should be better built.

I40/I44 is an embarrassment, right close to the main focal point of the city outside of downtown (ie Will Rogers World Airport/Fairgrounds area). Not that looks only matter but it does showcase ODOTs commitment to freeway development - especially when you consider this is in the state's largest city/metro area and capital city.

USSOklahoma
10-15-2022, 05:55 PM
The problem is not that ODOT is cheap or underfunded. It is one of the highest-funded agencies in the state. It is that we let ALL of our roads fall to pieces across the state while we were building out downtown. There are stretches of highway across the state that is getting touched for the first time for anything other than patches since the 50s or 60s. Most of those roads are 2 lane highways that would render the towns inaccessible if they fall into disrepair. Those are much more pressing issues than the ugly but functional interchanges within OKC. Not to mention a lot more of those 2 lane roads with one or a couple of bridges can be built with the same money it would take for the right of way for an intercity project.

Scott5114
10-15-2022, 10:08 PM
A big reason is that federal transport dollars don't come to Oklahoma. For some reason, we don't get money the same way Texas does, or even in proportion. I don't know why that is, but it causes delays all the time.

I'm not sure exactly how it works these days, but in the initial Interstate construction era, it was set up so that for every $1 the state contributes, they'd get $9 in federal money. If the current system works the same way, Texas would be getting a bunch of federal money from that simply because they have a larger tax base and are willing to spend more money. Some states also get that initial seed money from bonds, which isn't allowed in Oklahoma.

I think a better comparison is with Kansas, not Texas, since they have about the same land to cover, less population, but way better highways. What is Kansas doing but we're not? They have a higher gas tax, among other things.

I also think that at some point the culture at ODOT comes into play. It seems like they are not really hiring the best and brightest compared to other states. Money alone can't explain things why our road signs have screwed-up text centering, mismatched border radii of rounding, or using Type D arrows when the federal manual calls for Type A. Those aren't things that cost any extra money, just a click of a button to make a computer do it and/or doing five seconds worth of math. The lack of attention to detail on the things that are easy and free to get right makes it seem like ODOT is checked out and doesn't really care about the quality of the service they're providing.

bombermwc
10-17-2022, 06:06 AM
North Texas isn't a great example because most of what they do these days is from tolls. All that 635 stuff happened because they were building the toll express underneath the free 635. The Georg Bush, North Dallas Tollway, etc......so before you go giving them all the credit, think about how little is put in to what is done from taxpayers. I'd say Texas is sucking hard as they haven't done any real projects for the regular free roads in a long time. Look how long it took to get it 6 lanes all the way through Denton. Working that road up to the 35 merge point (which is still dumb) has taken 30 years. 35 in Fort Worth has been going on for what seems like 30 years. There are some projects in the Houston area. But my point is people tend to look at Texas like they're doing everything right. They are struggling too. If we lived there, we'd be complaining about that traffic and the inadequate infrastructure and lack of good public transit as well. Some struggles, different scale.

In OK, we need a gas tax. And we've dug into this before, but we need a way to tax those that are electric for their use as well. As more cars move to hybrid and electric, OK has to rethink the whole concept or our funding for roads is going to majorly fall out.

TheTravellers
10-17-2022, 08:43 AM
North Texas isn't a great example because most of what they do these days is from tolls. All that 635 stuff happened because they were building the toll express underneath the free 635. The Georg Bush, North Dallas Tollway, etc......so before you go giving them all the credit, think about how little is put in to what is done from taxpayers. I'd say Texas is sucking hard as they haven't done any real projects for the regular free roads in a long time. Look how long it took to get it 6 lanes all the way through Denton. Working that road up to the 35 merge point (which is still dumb) has taken 30 years. 35 in Fort Worth has been going on for what seems like 30 years. There are some projects in the Houston area. But my point is people tend to look at Texas like they're doing everything right. They are struggling too. If we lived there, we'd be complaining about that traffic and the inadequate infrastructure and lack of good public transit as well. Some struggles, different scale.

In OK, we need a gas tax. And we've dug into this before, but we need a way to tax those that are electric for their use as well. As more cars move to hybrid and electric, OK has to rethink the whole concept or our funding for roads is going to majorly fall out.

There's an electric vehicle fee when you do your registration.

HOT ROD
10-17-2022, 01:20 PM
agree about raising the gas tax in OK. I've said many times that the state could do it and raise money for roads/highway mtc but also for commuter bus/rail transit in the OKC metro area. I think they could raise it and still be the lowest in the region, but that boon would pay off huge.

as for electric cars, why do people think they aren't paying taxes. Realize to charge up an e-v there's tax associated with a home unit consumption and theres usually tax associated with a charging station. That tax may not be going to roads directly, but it's not like e vehicles aren't being taxed, in many cases - they're taxed moreso than gas particularly in a state like OK. Yes, it is generally cheaper to charge an e-v as opposed to gasoline but that's the whole point; e-v's shouldn't be penalized unnecessarily when it's really the gas tax itself that needs to be increased along with a possible road/rail/transit specific mileage tax for e-v's rather than the current, arbitrary electric vehicle fee.

Plutonic Panda
10-17-2022, 01:45 PM
I'm not sure exactly how it works these days, but in the initial Interstate construction era, it was set up so that for every $1 the state contributes, they'd get $9 in federal money. If the current system works the same way, Texas would be getting a bunch of federal money from that simply because they have a larger tax base and are willing to spend more money. Some states also get that initial seed money from bonds, which isn't allowed in Oklahoma.

I think a better comparison is with Kansas, not Texas, since they have about the same land to cover, less population, but way better highways. What is Kansas doing but we're not? They have a higher gas tax, among other things.

I also think that at some point the culture at ODOT comes into play. It seems like they are not really hiring the best and brightest compared to other states. Money alone can't explain things why our road signs have screwed-up text centering, mismatched border radii of rounding, or using Type D arrows when the federal manual calls for Type A. Those aren't things that cost any extra money, just a click of a button to make a computer do it and/or doing five seconds worth of math. The lack of attention to detail on the things that are easy and free to get right makes it seem like ODOT is checked out and doesn't really care about the quality of the service they're providing.
This post x1000!

Every time I am in Kansas I am impressed with their road network.

Swake
10-17-2022, 03:41 PM
It’s a lot a money problem. Fuel taxes in Kansas are more than 25% higher than in Oklahoma. And Kansas has the 37th lowest fuel taxes, we are 45th. This also means we are missing out on federal matching funds.

Fuel taxes per gallon

Kansas
Gas: 24 cents Diesel: 26 cents

Texas
Gas: 20 cents Diesel: 20 cents

Arkansas
Gas: 24.5 cents Diesel: 28.5 cents
PLUS .5 cent general sales tax for roads

Oklahoma
Gas: 19 cents Diesel: 16 cents

MagzOK
10-17-2022, 04:41 PM
It’s a lot a money problem. Fuel taxes in Kansas are more than 25% higher than in Oklahoma. And Kansas has the 37th lowest fuel taxes, we are 45th. This also means we are missing out on federal matching funds.

Fuel taxes per gallon


Kansas
Gas: 24 cents Diesel: 26 cents

Texas
Gas: 20 cents Diesel: 20 cents

Arkansas
Gas: 24.5 cents Diesel: 28.5 cents
PLUS .5 cent general sales tax for roads

Oklahoma
Gas: 19 cents Diesel: 16 cents

Exactly right. We have got to raise our gas tax. ODOT went on a huge spree around 2004 or 2005 to try and raise awareness to the need to raise the gas tax to ATLEAST match those states around us and finally got it on the ballot to where it was voted NO to raising it gas 5 cents and diesel 8 I believe. And I believe it was an overwhelming majority like 80% of voters voted to not raise it. Yet I know most of these 80 percenters complain about the roads.

SoonerDave
10-17-2022, 06:25 PM
^^^ Laramie, thank you for posting that graphic but it is incredibly out of date. Much of it now isn't even scheduled to start until 2025 which is absurd.

Absolutely **ridiculous**. No other word for it. This needed to be done *ten years* ago. That's the price the area pays for not being N. OKC.

Plutonic Panda
10-17-2022, 07:28 PM
Absolutely **ridiculous**. No other word for it. This needed to be done *ten years* ago. That's the price the area pays for not being N. OKC.
Yep. I was livid when I saw the new plan.

Scott5114
10-18-2022, 12:50 AM
This post x1000!

Every time I am in Kansas I am impressed with their road network.

To me, this little note I found on a KDOT plan sheet really speaks to the professionalism of how KDOT operates. Not only do they have a standard practice for situations like this, they feel the need to call out when they deviate from it.

https://i.imgur.com/LQ95PCk.png

I've never seen a note like that on an ODOT plan sheet. Nor would I ever expect to.

rte66man
10-18-2022, 04:50 AM
Wow, I had forgotten how much ODOT hate exists on this board. For those who have lived here more than 10 years, you seem to have forgotten how much funding that should have gone to road construction and maintenance was diverted to other purposes. At one point, 47% of the car tag fee was diverted to the General Revenue fund when it was allocated by the Legislature to non-road purposes. I've lost track of how many time the Legislature "raided" the Transportation Fund for other purposes. Add that to our low gas tax and I am surprised ODOT had done as much as they have. In a perfect world, RoW would have been reserved a long time ago for all the major interchange projects in OKC and Tulsa but that shop has sailed. IMO we have made great progress in the last 10-15 years, especially given how far behind the state had fallen.

Regarding the lack of a SB 77 to EB JKT ramp, adding it would have required a toll booth in the days before Plate Pay. I can't imaging how many wrecks there would have been as traffic backed up down the ramp and onto 77 as some numbnuts was looking for change for the basket.

mugofbeer
10-18-2022, 08:14 PM
Exactly right. We have got to raise our gas tax. ODOT went on a huge spree around 2004 or 2005 to try and raise awareness to the need to raise the gas tax to ATLEAST match those states around us and finally got it on the ballot to where it was voted NO to raising it gas 5 cents and diesel 8 I believe. And I believe it was an overwhelming majority like 80% of voters voted to not raise it. Yet I know most of these 80 percenters complain about the roads.

All else being equal, an alternative needs to be found to the gas tax since gasoline is slowly declining in use.