Traffic fix to cost $1.5 million

By Bryan Dean
The Oklahoman

Improvements meant to clear up congestion at Memorial Road and Pennsylvania Avenue will cost about $1.5 million, the Oklahoma City Council learned this morning.

Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2007 on eastbound and westbound Kilpatrick Turnpike turnarounds at the intersection. The city will work with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to pay for the project.

The council approved a preliminary report today that includes a master plan for the intersection, set the timelines for construction and estimated the cost. The city will now begin developing final plans for the intersection.

Any guesses how long it will take for the ciy and OTA to discover that the Memorial and Western intersection is a problem and decide to fix it?

What do you mean by 'problem' on Memorial and Western?

I'm so glad they will fix Penn and Memorial.. that wreaks havoc on my shopping excursions especially around holidays! Even going to Sam's Club is an experience.

Yeah, I don't think there is a problem at Memorial and Western. I've never had a problem there.

is that LANDSCAPING in between the turnarounds and the current bridge as well as around the intersection? or am I DREAMING!

I drive through Memorial and Western many times a week. There is hardly ever any traffic there. The biggest problem I see there is the weirdo timed lights. I always end up sitting there waiting for no one to get off the turnpike.

The "problem" is everyday after work the traffic at Western and Memorial is seriously backed up with east bound traffic coming off the turnpike, traffic headed north on Western and eastbound traffic on whatever the name of road is that runs parallel to the turnpike on the south (the same road contributing to the traffic problems at Penn and Memorial).

Another day, another intersetion to fix. 10 years from now we'll be spending 1.5 million (+inflation) on another intersection 10 miles north and/or west of there. Meanwhile other areas rot.

Anyone else been around Penn and Memorial lately?

Looks like they're finally starting to put the dedicated right turn lanes in.

'Bout damn time.

Have they started the Texas turnarounds yet?

No, not that I know of.. I haven't seen any construction started near Penn/Memorial (other than at Quail Springs Mall)... of course they have 150th torn up between Santa Fe and Western - putting in 4 lanes and 164th is being worked on as well. Pretty crazy driving around with all of the construction chaos.

Drove by on Thursday, here's the latest:

http://www.okctalk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/pennmemorialtournaround1.JPG

http://www.okctalk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/pennmemorialtournaround2.JPG

http://www.okctalk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/pennmemorialtournaround3.JPG

Yeah, it's a real mess right now. Hopefully it won't take them long and it will improve that intersection greatly. I'm all for doing Memorial and Western next!! I exit there everyday and it's a 20 minute process to even get to the light. The timing on the lights would fix a lot of that problem.

Does anybody know what is going on there now? They seem to bd virtually done with the eastbound-to-westbound turnaround, but they haven't painted lines or taken down the orange barrels. I haven't seen a sole working there in weeks, and I work and live nearby, usually driving by multiple times daily. What gives?

Have they started the Texas turnarounds yet?
man, i sure do love those! i don't understand why they didn't put those in when they redid broadway extension. we need more TT's!

man, i sure do love those! i don't understand why they didn't put those in when they redid broadway extension. we need more TT's!

You mean like the ones @ Hefner, Britton, Wilshire, & 63rd? :tiphat:

You mean like the ones @ Hefner, Britton, Wilshire, & 63rd? :tiphat:

hmmm... i remember sitting at the britton light cursing the okies that built it.
however, i don't discount the fact that i coulda been really blazed and was sitting in the turnaround lane the whole time.
i've also been known to sit at flashing red lights waiting for them to turn green... heh

man, i sure do love those! i don't understand why they didn't put those in when they redid broadway extension.

they did...

oooooooookaaaaaaaay.... hahah.

and so concludes my demonstration on the dangers of partying like (and with) rockstars for 15 years.

ya see kids.... drugs are bad, mkay?

my bad fellas.

Does anybody know what is going on there now? They seem to bd virtually done with the eastbound-to-westbound turnaround, but they haven't painted lines or taken down the orange barrels. I haven't seen a sole working there in weeks, and I work and live nearby, usually driving by multiple times daily. What gives?

Last time I was up that way was 3-4 weeks ago. It looked done then except the painting of lines and moving the construction cones. You're telling me it's 3-4 weeks later and nothing has been done? ODOT hard at work again. Sounds like the roundabout progress at 10th and Shartel taking about a year now. In Texas, they'd have it done in less than a month. Rudy Construction Company is working on it (always slow). Are they working on Memorial Rd. too? I'm wondering if they are ODOT cronies?

Metro, you are correct in your assumption that nothing has happened since you've been up there. I don't know whose building it, but I wouldn't hire them again if this is their way of doing business. It's rediculous.

Well, at least they opened an additional lane (back to the original two) on Memorial and Penn before vacating the worksite weeks ago.....

Shockingly, there were a few men out there working around lunchtime today, though I couldn't tell what they were doing. I did not drive by there after work to see if they had opened up the new turnaround, though.