Odot

[HangryHippo]

Once again, Stitt is showing his ass in tribal dealings.

[Plutonic Panda]

Only a portion is tribal funded

Right but a portion will also serve daily traffic. In all honesty I don’t like this proposed interchange because it should be a fully directional stack to serve as a new freeway connecting to I-44. I’d also like to see a new freeway south of Moore connecting I-35 to I-44 perhaps along the River or slightly north. Either way this interchange proposal is still an improvement and will reduce the congestion here.

[Scott5114]

Having looked at the plans for this interchange myself, I actually kind of agree with Stitt on this one (guess it had to happen eventually).

The real problem is the lights in close proximity to the interchange. If you built a slip ramp that bypassed the light at the end of the ramp, as well as used frontage roads to reroute the traffic at 12th/Harvey to Bankers Drive (and caused all Riverwind and Love's traffic to use those frontage roads), it would improve traffic flow on SH-9 a lot more than a direct ramp to Riverwind would. McCaleb notes that the interchange is having trouble during morning and evening rush, but Riverwind's peak hours are closer to 9pm. So a direct ramp is something I'm sure Riverwind would like a lot, but I don't think it would solve the fundamental issue. A lot of the traffic going down that ramp at rush hour is continuing past Riverwind toward Newcastle and Blanchard.

We don't have a direct freeway ramp to any other private business in the metro, and I don't see why that should change, even if they are willing to chip in a portion of the money it would take to build it. The ability to buy your own freeway interchange, rather than good engineering judgement determining the right place to put one, is kind of a scary prospect.

[catch22]

Having looked at the plans for this interchange myself, I actually kind of agree with Stitt on this one (guess it had to happen eventually).

The real problem is the lights in close proximity to the interchange. If you built a slip ramp that bypassed the light at the end of the ramp, as well as used frontage roads to reroute the traffic at 12th/Harvey to Bankers Drive (and caused all Riverwind and Love's traffic to use those frontage roads), it would improve traffic flow on SH-9 a lot more than a direct ramp to Riverwind would. McCaleb notes that the interchange is having trouble during morning and evening rush, but Riverwind's peak hours are closer to 9pm. So a direct ramp is something I'm sure Riverwind would like a lot, but I don't think it would solve the fundamental issue.

We don't have a direct freeway ramp to any other private business in the metro, and I don't see why that should change, even if they are willing to chip in a portion of the money it would take to build it. The ability to buy your own freeway interchange, rather than good engineering judgement determining the right place to put one, is kind of a scary prospect.

Same. Other than the hotel that is next to the Riverwind, this doesn't really benefit or improve access for anyone except for direct customers of the casino. I guess it benefits the non-gambling public in the fact that large events won't back traffic up onto the highway. But those events are few and far between.

Looks like the tribe is paying around 60% of the cost. That seems absurdly low for something that only benefits their customers. I think that number should be a bit higher, especially with how little ODOT is funded to begin with.

[artynok]

In reference to the SH 74/ Hefner Parkway comments on the quality of construction, I've seen other posts in a different thread note that Hefner Parkway gets a lot less semi truck traffic than the interstate highways. Hence, it has not had to be rebuilt in it's 30 year life span.

[Plutonic Panda]

“ Under questioning Monday by Shannon, Gatz said the entire interchange, not just a portion of the project, needed to be re-evaluated.”

If this results in a better interchange then I’m all for it.

https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-an...ccbd0133b.html

[Plutonic Panda]

https://www.okcfox.com/news/local/ro...of-improvement

“ OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Over the past few years, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation has made significant improvements to the State’s highways and bridges. However, according to a new report released by The National Transportation Non-profit group "TRIP", some of ODOT’s progress may be underfunded for the road ahead. ”

[Plutonic Panda]

Another report from TW about the state transportation system and potential increases for funding ahead:

https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-an...adf06b304.html

[BoulderSooner]

100 mil Federal grant to ODOT for 2 projects

50 mil for I40 and Douglas interchange includes widening 6 miles of I40.

And 50 mil for I35 project by the border.

https://cole.house.gov/media-center/...highway-grants

[Plutonic Panda]

This is great. I-35 needs to be six lanes from OKC to the Oklahoma border.

[rte66man]

This is great. I-35 needs to be six lanes from OKC to the Oklahoma border.

I'd settle for six lanes south from Norman to Purcell.

[Plutonic Panda]

I'd settle for six lanes south from Norman to Purcell.

Yeah that section is needed the most. After that they should focus on the arbuckles to the state rebuilding I-35 through Ardmore and modernizing the roadway as well as expansion. Then simply complete Purcell to the Arbuckles last.

[Bunty]

This is great. I-35 needs to be six lanes from OKC to the Oklahoma border.

Completing the four laning of Highway 33 from Langston to just west of Perkins where it becomes 5 lanes might encourage more people to use that route, rather than continuing to go north on I-35 on way to Stillwater, though don't think people who live on west side of Stillwater would find the 33 route shorter.

[Plutonic Panda]

Completing the four laning of Highway 33 from Langston to just west of Perkins where it becomes 5 lanes might encourage more people to use that route, rather than continuing to go north on I-35 on way to Stillwater, though don't think people who live on west side of Stillwater would find the 33 route shorter.

Stillwater needs a loop built around it that has the adequate ROW to be upgraded to a full freeway in the future. The Cimarron TP Spur should be extended through Stillwater and connected to SH-33 by Coyle-Langston with that road upgraded to a full freeway to I-35.

[Plutonic Panda]

The majority of Oklahomans give low marks to Oklahoma’s roads and highways:

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/ok...939bab5a5.html

[mugofbeer]

Compared to Colorado, l'd rate OK as a low B. CO's as a C. Colorado has more people but far less highway miles/capita. They need more lanes, limited access miles and a lot of new routes in and out of the urban areas. Ok seems to mainly need consistent paving.

[Plutonic Panda]

Colorado has a few really nice highways but overall the roads, pavement quality, and adequate capacity are horrible. I-70 needs to be six lanes from Denver to GJ. Colorado can’t seem to build any large scale widenings without toll lanes. Aspen has the worst case of NIMBYism and refuses to let trucks go through even if Colorado upgraded the rest of CO-82(namely the one lane sections) which they wouldn’t do.

I love Colorado but they desperately need to up their game on their roads. It’s crazy to me how they can’t even manage to build a freeway connection from the Boulder Turnpike(which is a beautiful road) to the NW Parkway. Not to mention all the other roads in that area that need upgrades. Colorado certainly has more impressive roads but overall I’d rank Oklahoma freeways above Colorado's given where CO should be.

[Bunty]

Stillwater needs a loop built around it that has the adequate ROW to be upgraded to a full freeway in the future. The Cimarron TP Spur should be extended through Stillwater and connected to SH-33 by Coyle-Langston with that road upgraded to a full freeway to I-35.

Just extending the Cimarron Spur to Highway 51 would be a good deal and be less costly. Extending it on to Highway 33 would make for a slightly faster trip to OKC. Possibly OSU would need to give up some land.

[OKCisOK4me]

Colorado has a few really nice highways but overall the roads, pavement quality, and adequate capacity are horrible. I-70 needs to be six lanes from Denver to GJ. Colorado can’t seem to build any large scale widenings without toll lanes. Aspen has the worst case of NIMBYism and refuses to let trucks go through even if Colorado upgraded the rest of CO-82(namely the one lane sections) which they wouldn’t do.

I love Colorado but they desperately need to up their game on their roads. It’s crazy to me how they can’t even manage to build a freeway connection from the Boulder Turnpike(which is a beautiful road) to the NW Parkway. Not to mention all the other roads in that area that need upgrades. Colorado certainly has more impressive roads but overall I’d rank Oklahoma freeways above Colorado's given where CO should be.

Pluplan,

Have you even seen I-70 through Glenwood Canyon?? It is so narrow, it is any wonder they were able to build 4 lanes through in the first place. Creating an additional two lanes would require a lot of blasting and a lot more tunneling which would require a ton more cost.

Throw in all the environmentalist hooplah, that would be a fallout/backlash of what you want to see happen, it's because of that, I doubt any of it will ever happen.

[Plutonic Panda]

Pluplan,

Have you even seen I-70 through Glenwood Canyon?? It is so narrow, it is any wonder they were able to build 4 lanes through in the first place. Creating an additional two lanes would require a lot of blasting and a lot more tunneling which would require a ton more cost.

Throw in all the environmentalist hooplah, that would be a fallout/backlash of what you want to see happen, it's because of that, I doubt any of it will ever happen.

Yeah I go through there multiple times a month. You’re not wrong. A very expensive tunnel bypass would be about the only option. CO has plans to upgrade a few spots of I-70 around Vail to six lanes but other than that it’ll be awhile. Really the stretch in most need of six lanes is Central Vail to Denver.

[Plutonic Panda]

Some more rural roads projects announced by Lankford from earmarks(which I’m excited to see come back). From the photo provided in the article regarding SH-4 in Yukon, I wish ODOT would add rumble strips in the center and sides of the road.

“ The rural highway projects being considered for funding are:
Atoka Co: SH-3 from Lane to Farris, $16 million
Caddo Co: US-277 from Cement to I-44/H.E. Bailey Turnpike, $10 million
Jackson Co: US-283 just north of the Red River near Elmer, $6 million
Osage Co: SH-20 east of Hominy, $8 million
Texas Co: SH-136 south of US-412 in Guymon, $8 million
Wa****a Co: SH-152 near Dill City, $4.6 million
Woods Co: US-64 east of SH-14 near Alva (Right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation only), $4 million
Woods Co: US-281 east of Waynoka, $8 million”

- https://oklahoma.gov/odot/citizen/ne...-for-rura.html

[mugofbeer]

I've recently been on 3 of those segments and noticed they were all in bad shape.

[SEMIweather]

Colorado mostly needs commuter rail from Pueblo to Cheyenne (a no-brainer) and then a good bus system from Denver to the ski resorts along I-70 (probably much more complicated, but I doubt a train option would be particularly feasible considering it's a minor miracle I-70 even got built through the mountains in the first place).

So I don't totally derail this thread, Oklahoma's most pressing need IMO is a connector roughly from SH-74/Waterloo to Division/I-35. Just looking at the explosion of growth in that part of the Metro, I doubt it ever gets done but someday we'll regret not doing it.

[Snowman]

It has been a while since I checked out the 8 year construction plan, but it sure looks like they have made some updates due to budget, like most projects of size have been pushed back at least a couple years

[Plutonic Panda]

It has been a while since I checked out the 8 year construction plan, but it sure looks like they have made some updates due to budget, like most projects of size have been pushed back at least a couple years

We knew the last 8yr plan was not going to be pretty. This years should be better, I hope. The state has given ODOT more funds, they’ve also received grants for multiple projects that will be pushed up including several major ones, and a massive infrastructure package is on the horizon and could be finalized by October. I suspect we’ll see multiple projects added and pushed up this year with next years being even better.

PS, do you know when the next phase of the crossroads junction is scheduled to let? I tried looking on their website as the 8yr plan says 2021 but I couldn’t find it.