Road Construction in Edmond

[scottk]

Starting Monday, June 21st, construction will begin on improvements at the intersection of Second Street and Bryant Avenue. This work is expected to last approximately twelve months with cooperative weather.

https://www.edmondok.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=836

See you in a year 2nd and Bryant!

[BobbyV]

Any ideas when Western will be back open at Danforth? I haven't been down by there in a while to see how much work is left.

[jbkrems]

Any ideas when Western will be back open at Danforth? I haven't been down by there in a while to see how much work is left.

This is actually an Oklahoma City project. It was supposed to be completed last March, but it got behind due to weather. It appears they are getting close since a lot of the heavy moving construction equipment is gone.

[Plutonic Panda]

Any ideas when Western will be back open at Danforth? I haven't been down by there in a while to see how much work is left.

It seems like this section has been closed forever.

[scottk]

It seems like this section has been closed forever.

Can someone in road construction or civic engineering please explain why these one mile road-widening or intersection widening's take so long (one year plus for such a small stretch of road or existing intersections)

Edmond has begun a year long project on 2nd and Bryant, it seems that it would be easier to just close the intersection for a week and work around the clock to fix it, versus stretching it out and causing year long traffic congestion.

It's a wonder how the previous generation was able to build things like a 90 mile turnpike from Tulsa to Oklahoma City or a 200 mile plus road like I35 from Texas to Kansas in just a few years.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^^ the Golden Gate Bridge was built from conception in 4 years. A serious need has been identified for a new bay crossing and it’s estimated to not be completed until the 2040s. Says a lot about infrastructure building capabilities today in America.

[jerrywall]

And the willingness to take risks. Didn't about a dozen folks die during the construction, and there was even a club created for the construction workers that fell and survived during the construction?

Its sort of like comparing railroad construction during the rush for the transcontinental railroads to today. Speed was more important than safety or even structural stability in some places. Same thing with some of the road construction of the past, where it was about laying as many miles as possible. Things are slower now, and they cost a lot more money to build (labor is more expensive now than then). Can't exactly bring in 10,000 immigrant laborers to work for slave wages this time.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^^ Jerry, somewhere between taking 4 years and 20+, there lays middle ground to build such a structure. I was only using an extreme comparison but in general it takes way too long to complete infrastructure projects in America.

[jerrywall]

I expect that 20+ years involves more than just the bridge. It's likely looking at the entire infrastructure surrounding it, traffic plans and redirects, land acquisitions, and trying to do it in a way that's as minimally disruptive as possible to existing traffic and transportation needs. It's not that they *couldn't* replace the bridge in 4 years if they needed to. And I wonder if the actual construction part of the process isn't closer to that 4 year time period. There was a LOT of work that went into the Golden Gate before the construction began (the process started about 20 years earlier).

Look at the I-40 bridge over the Illinois River. It took 2 months to rebuild that bridge (it was expected to take 6) and it set a new record.

But there's no reason to move this fast 99% of the time, and when you're dealing with upgrading or replacing existing construction it's a much different scenario that initial construction in a fairly open playing field. It also becomes cost prohibitive to move all of them at that speed for every project.

[Plutonic Panda]

There is a serious problem in this country with the cost and time it takes to build infrastructure. There are scores of articles about it around the internet from reputable sources.

[jerrywall]

There is a serious problem in this country with the cost and time it takes to build infrastructure. There are scores of articles about it around the internet from reputable sources.

As an engineer I'd be glad to read those.

I certainly agree we don't PRIORITIZE speed above all else on a lot of these projects. But that doesn't mean the comparison to our building practices in the past are valid. My great grandfather was a lineman killed in Enid a long time before I was born, working on massive roleouts of our electrical grid. We are capable of laying miles of line faster and safer nowadays than we were back then but we don't tend to deploy at those speeds anymore, for many reasons - safety and logistics being a large part of it.

[jerrywall]

They also didn't have to deal with pesky things like the EPA back then. You'd be amazed how much time is spend on environmental studies and the like.

[Plutonic Panda]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/reason....used-to/%3famp

“ Bridges, roads, and other modern infrastructure projects in the United States take exceptionally longer to complete compared to those in other nations. A new video from Kite and Key creators breaks down exactly why a combination of government regulations and bad management causes such lengthy delays in assembling the transportation and urban foundation of American cities.

The Golden Gate Bridge and Empire State building are just two examples of speedy and successful construction projects in the United States, the video begins, but now significantly smaller buildings, bridges, and other proposals are taking an abnormally long time to finish.”

https://thefederalist.com/2021/06/01...and-expensive/

[Plutonic Panda]

They also didn't have to deal with pesky things like the EPA back then. You'd be amazed how much time is spend on environmental studies and the like.

I’m fully aware of the EIS system and other related studies that are required. I’m curious to know your take and what you think about the process. Are you fine with the way we build infrastructure in this country; how long it takes and the cost? Do not think there’s anything that could be changed to shorten the process and lower the cost?

[BlackmoreRulz]

Noticed some large pipes in the parking lot of the old Ace location on Danforth and then another stack of the same pipes at the soccer fields, any clue what is going on? These look like large drainage pipes that would almost have to tear the road up to install.

[scottk]

Noticed some large pipes in the parking lot of the old Ace location on Danforth and then another stack of the same pipes at the soccer fields, any clue what is going on? These look like large drainage pipes that would almost have to tear the road up to install.

A similar piping project is happening on Chowning just south of Danforth. I believe it was suppose to be done August 16, but it's now September 10 and well...it's still a cluster with the median causing weaving in and out.

[Plutonic Panda]

Agreed - very much needed.

This project is finished and it really has helped.

To echo rt66man’s comments it really would have been nice if they expanded the turn lanes and added right turn lanes but oh well. The pavement south of this intersection on Kelly is in really bad shape. It would be nice to separate the tracks from the road while I’m playing sim city

[Plutonic Panda]

Does anyone know if they plan to add traffic lights to the on/off ramps at Covell / I-35? This area continues to get worse, especially at high traffic times or when Francis Tuttle classes let out. It will only get worse as more businesses open up at the interchange.

PS, this project starts in exactly one week on the 29th. Usually I don’t want more lights but this should help immensely with the backups:

“ On Wednesday, September 29th, construction will begin for off-ramp improvements at the intersection of I-35 and Covell Raod. This work is expected to last approximately 90 days with cooperative weather.

During this project, the off-ramps will be widened, traffic signals will be installed, and numerous pedestrian improvements will be made including sidewalk connections and road crossings. There will not be any lane closures during the project, but motorists should expect some slow-downs due to the construction activity in the area.

This contractor for the project is All Roads Paving. The total cost is $1,735,628.98 with the City of Edmond providing 100% of the funding.”

- https://www.edmondok.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=859

[BoulderSooner]

PS, this project starts in exactly one week on the 29th. Usually I don’t want more lights but this should help immensely with the backups:

“ On Wednesday, September 29th, construction will begin for off-ramp improvements at the intersection of I-35 and Covell Raod. This work is expected to last approximately 90 days with cooperative weather.

During this project, the off-ramps will be widened, traffic signals will be installed, and numerous pedestrian improvements will be made including sidewalk connections and road crossings. There will not be any lane closures during the project, but motorists should expect some slow-downs due to the construction activity in the area.

This contractor for the project is All Roads Paving. The total cost is $1,735,628.98 with the City of Edmond providing 100% of the funding.”

- https://www.edmondok.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=859

finally ..... they have been waiting for the lights to come it ..

[Plutonic Panda]

finally ..... they have been waiting for the lights to come it ..

It will be nice. Especially widening the ramps as well. I just wish they’d hurry up with redesigning the danforth interchange.

[djohn]

It seems like this section has been closed forever.

Well, it (Western and Danforth) opened for a few months. ...and now it's closed again.

[oklip955]

i wish they would do something about the south bound off ramp at 15th. You get off but cannot get on to the access road due to traffic and poor visibility.

[MagzOK]

^^ from what I've read, they will be alleviating this and other issues when they do the massive service road reconstruction project from Memorial up to 2nd, I believe is the stretch.

[Plutonic Panda]

Well, it (Western and Danforth) opened for a few months. ...and now it's closed again.

Wtf why?

[Plutonic Panda]

2nd and Bryant update:

“ Available traffic lanes shifting on Second & Bryant project
As work continues on the $4.5 million improvements project at the intersection of Second Street and Bryant Avenue, a shift in the traffic patterns and lanes available will take place beginning the morning of Feb. 11.

East-west traffic will be moved from the lanes currently available – those on the north side of Second Street that were in use while work was being done – to lanes that have been completed on the south side of Second Street and ready for public use. Work to re-stripe the lanes and adjustments to the traffic signal heads will begin the evening of Feb. 10 to accommodate the shifting of available lanes the following morning.

As part of this adjustment, beginning the morning of Feb. 11 there will be no left turn available from westbound Second Street onto southbound Bryant Avenue and no left turn available from northbound Bryant onto westbound Second Street.

Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes as necessary, but residents are still encouraged to support the businesses in the area.

During this project, the intersection will be widened to better accommodate regular traffic volumes in the area. After completion, each direction of two-lane traffic will be complemented with dual left-turn lanes and a right-turn lane.

This contractor for the project Crossland Heavy Contractors. The total cost is $7,478,800 with the City of Edmond providing 100% of the funding.”

https://www.edmondok.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=897