Driving Forward OK - Oklahoma Turnpike Improvements and New Construction

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Originally Posted by Zorba

This is similar to years ago on concrete roadways, Oklahoma didn't put in dowel bar between the various sections (the sections are about 10 ft long). So of course each section would sink or pitch differently and you'd end up with a road that felt like a washboard. Likely they finally changed the design code and have gone back and fixed most of the affected highways. This is why on a lot of concrete highways in the state you'll see something that looks like the picture below.

http://www.interstateimprovement.com...etrofit_fs.jpg

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A couple days late to the thread, but what exactly does this do?

I've seen it a lot, but I never actually figured out what it does or how it works.

They put metal rods in the slots to strengthen the road and make them last longer. Keeps them from having to replace the road as soon. They probably put them in areas where the concrete is starting to weaken or where they know that section of road gets heavy use.

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Originally Posted by d-usa

A couple days late to the thread, but what exactly does this do?

I've seen it a lot, but I never actually figured out what it does or how it works.

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The concrete is poured in sections, with no rebar. Back in the day they thought as long as it was built on prepared base (soil/gravel) that it would be fine. But over time the concrete settles into the soil differently, so you get a bump at every single seem. At highway speeds it creates a very rough ride.

So they went back to the old concrete roadways, jack hammered up the slots and placed "dowel rods" (rebar) in the slots to connect the two panels together. This keeps either side of the seem at the same height as they have to move together and helps transfer load from one panel to the next as vehicles pass. After they put in the dowel rods into the slot, they pour grout into the slot to hold in place and reestablish the road surface. Finally, they will grind the entire surface of the roadway to make it flat again.

New concrete roadways are built with the dowel rods already installed, and they run all the way across the seem not just in the tire tracks.

Some links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowel_bar_retrofit and Dowel Bar Placement | Pavement Interactive

Very informative, thanks!

Turnpike expansion, upgrades will test timetable, engineers say | The Journal Record

Panel moves forward with turnpike expansion plans - Tulsa World: Capitol Report

Congress approves 5-year transportation bill | HeraldNet.com - Nation & World

Oklahomans Start Petition To Stop Turnpike Expansion - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

Luther residents speaking out against proposed turnpike | Oklahoma City - OKC - KOCO.com

City Council supports turnpike expansion plans | The Journal Record

People around me in Choctaw/Harrah are losing their collective fecal matter over this right now. Leaving flyers on my porch and starting petitions...

Yeah. That's gonna help lol

Can you post them? I'm curious about their objections. Not judging just yet...

Here's their FB page, feel free to peruse.

https://www.facebook.com/StopTheEasternLoop/?fref=ts

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Originally Posted by Plutonic Panda

City Council supports turnpike expansion plans | The Journal Record

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warreng or Pete, would one of you mind posting the text of this article?

With the Choctaw residents complaining, I forsee the Kilpatrick Extension getting a lot of pushback. There is no good route to get through without an extreme zigzag. Entire neighborhoods would have to be taken out. I just don't see it happening. I don't see the rural representatives and Senators approving something that mostly benefits OKC and a little for Tulsa. Also Tulsa might feel OKC is getting a lot more and not vote for it.

I think it's going to happen.

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Originally Posted by Oh GAWD the Smell!

People around me in Choctaw/Harrah are losing their collective fecal matter over this right now. Leaving flyers on my porch and starting petitions...

Yeah. That's gonna help lol

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Just like 40 years ago. That is why there is no Eastern Loop today. I will dig up the references and post later.

They are going to announce possible alignments where it will be built late spring to early summer.

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Property owners in the area of Driving Forward projects for the Southwest Kilpatrick Extension and Eastern Oklahoma County turnpikes recieved letters for surveys on private property. These surveys required the placement of black or white markings on their property for aerial surveying. The letter notes that "the location of the temporary aerial targets does not signify the location of where the future turnpike alignment will be located, rather it will be used for the purpose of gathering data to make an assessment of the optimal location of the turnpike alignment." The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has stated that no alignments have been set for any of the turnpike projects and that a decision on alignments will be announced in late spring, early summer.

- Driving Forward OK

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Originally Posted by emtefury

I just don't see it happening. I don't see the rural representatives and Senators approving something that mostly benefits OKC and a little for Tulsa. Also Tulsa might feel OKC is getting a lot more and not vote for it.

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Does a decision about new turnpike locations require approval by rural legislators? This is an OTA project. The Tulsa area is slated for a significant amount of construction even if it's not as many miles as in the OKC area. How would Tulsa vote against it?

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Originally Posted by ljbab728

Does a decision about new turnpike locations require approval by rural legislators? This is an OTA project. The Tulsa area is slated for a significant amount of construction even if it's not as many miles as in the OKC area. How would Tulsa vote against it?

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Good points and I believe The City of Tulsa has actually voiced their approval of the project.

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Originally Posted by ljbab728

Does a decision about new turnpike locations require approval by rural legislators? This is an OTA project. The Tulsa area is slated for a significant amount of construction even if it's not as many miles as in the OKC area. How would Tulsa vote against it?

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While less of the projects new lane miles are in Tulsa's metro verse the number in OKC's metro, a couple of the projects are their most traveled long distant routes, which at least some have been calling for reconstruction/widening to for years.

New details about up-and-coming turnpike in eastern Oklahoma County | KFOR.com

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OKLAHOMA COUNTY, Okla. -- Progress is moving right along on the new turnpike in eastern Oklahoma County, despite protests from residents out there.

Turnpike officials say they’ve been placing X’s along the proposed route for aerial surveying.

The main area they’re looking at is a mile on either side of Peebly Road from I-40 to I-44.

And while they say "X" doesn’t necessarily mark the spot of the new highway, many homeowners say they’re a little too close for comfort.

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I still think that there are at least 5 other places a turnpike should be built other than the North East loop. The state government just wants Oklahoma to become major through-way for trucks coming up from Houston after the new Panama Canal is finished. I have no idea how becoming a major hub for trucking helps us at all, and with I-49 getting built, I think that will shuffle a lot of trucks over there.

Some new info but nothing major.

Driving Forward OK

Where is I -49? I haven't heard about it. I guess being retired I'm living under a rock.Happens when you live by yourself out in the country.

The southern section of I-49 is from Lafayette through Shreveport to Texarkana, and the northern section is from Fort Smith through Bentonville and Joplin to Kansas City.