Driving Forward OK - Oklahoma Turnpike Improvements and New Construction

[Scott5114]

It really makes driving more enjoyable and lessens the chance of getting behind two slow drivers.
If Oklahoma were smart when the reconstruction and widening of I-44 is completed they’d pay off the bonds and make it a free route which have many economic benefits. There is no high speed free route between the states two largest cities.

That they don't is by design. Oklahoma law allows OTA to 'cross-pledge' turnpike funds, meaning any toll money can be used to pay for any turnpike. This allows OTA to build toll roads in locations that ODOT can't afford to upgrade. The Cherokee Turnpike was built to bypass a dangerous section of SH-33 that ODOT couldn't find the funding to address. (That old section of SH-33 is now US-412 Alternate.) The I-44 turnpikes bring in the bulk of the toll money, and they subsidize the other, lower-performing turnpikes.

[brianinok]

The I-44 turnpikes bring in the bulk of the toll money, and they subsidize the other, lower-performing turnpikes.

And the two urban turnpikes in OKC and Tulsa?

[Plutonic Panda]

That they don't is by design. Oklahoma law allows OTA to 'cross-pledge' turnpike funds, meaning any toll money can be used to pay for any turnpike. This allows OTA to build toll roads in locations that ODOT can't afford to upgrade. The Cherokee Turnpike was built to bypass a dangerous section of SH-33 that ODOT couldn't find the funding to address. (That old section of SH-33 is now US-412 Alternate.) The I-44 turnpikes bring in the bulk of the toll money, and they subsidize the other, lower-performing turnpikes.

I-44 should have all tolls removed, IMO. OkDOT needs an increased budget. I’d prefer it starts out in phases. The first phase is tolls removed between OKC and Tulsa during the 2020s. Then early 2030s remove the tolls on southern I-44 and then finally remove tolls on NE I-44 late 2030s. This could easily be done with the legislature writing laws to force this on OkDOT whether they want it or not and offset by an increased budget for maintenance. The state would be better because of it. The two cities would become more connected and the state would see more free trade as a result.

[jn1780]

And the two urban turnpikes in OKC and Tulsa?

That's a good question. The thing about the urban turnpike is that there are a lot more ramps and interchanges to take care of for a smaller length of road.

[brianinok]

That's a good question. The thing about the urban turnpike is that there are a lot more ramps and interchanges to take care of for a smaller length of road.

And I wish they'd build more ramps! For instance, on the Kilpatrick Tnpk I would consistently use ramps at Bryant and a ramp at southbound Broadway to eastbound Kilpatrick. I can also see the need for northbound Hefner Parkway to westbound Kilpatrick but I'd rarely use it.

[oklip955]

Urban turnpikes are costly for older people on fixed incomes that need an easy way to doctors appointments and other trips. I guess we just have to continue driving in traffic.

[Plutonic Panda]

And I wish they'd build more ramps! For instance, on the Kilpatrick Tnpk I would consistently use ramps at Bryant and a ramp at southbound Broadway to eastbound Kilpatrick. I can also see the need for northbound Hefner Parkway to westbound Kilpatrick but I'd rarely use it.

Yes they need to install ramps at every mile road here. I also wish they’d rebuild the I-35 interchange. I know it was just built but damn they cheaped out. Exits and entrances should be on the left and that horrible curve on the bridges over 35. Sheesh!

I also wish they would build conventional double track rail down the ROW of I-44 that could run at around 100-110 MPH. They could initially just build it to the Tulsa-OKC park and ride station at I-35 and then extend it to downtown OKC later. I bet it would prove extremely successful.

[baralheia]

I also wish they would build conventional double track rail down the ROW of I-44 that could run at around 100-110 MPH. They could initially just build it to the Tulsa-OKC park and ride station at I-35 and then extend it to downtown OKC later. I bet it would prove extremely successful.

ODOT and OTA really need to work together on this, I agree. While acceptable for conventional passenger rail, the Sooner Sub between OKC and Sapulpa simply isn't suited to high speed rail. Any modernization of the I-44 corridor between OKC and Tulsa absolutely needs to include a rail component (even if it's simply preparing space within the highway ROW - including bridge modifications - for rails to be installed at some later date).

[Plutonic Panda]

I hate to be a Debbie downer but it is sad that merely preserving ROW and getting such a project shovel ready is a pipe dream. I’ve wrote OkDOT and OTA about it and they don’t even respond.

[WitWhy]

... I know it was just built but damn they cheaped out. Exits and entrances should be on the left and that horrible curve on the bridges over 35. Sheesh!

I'm assuming you mean transition ramps should never be on the left (unless HOV lanes exist).
They need to put a barrier on the westbound to southbound ramp past the 122nd St exit. I can't tell you how many times truck just cross those 3 lanes of traffic to get to those truck stops without a care of who may be in the other lanes.

[mugofbeer]

I'm assuming you mean transition ramps should never be on the left (unless HOV lanes exist).
They need to put a barrier on the westbound to southbound ramp past the 122nd St exit. I can't tell you how many times truck just cross those 3 lanes of traffic to get to those truck stops without a care of who may be in the other lanes.

I just saw it happen today by a truck that didn't have a turn signal on and forced a pickup and another car to hit their brakes. After seeing it myself and reading your comments, l have to agree.

[Plutonic Panda]

The Route 66 and Turner Turnpike Split SW of the I-44/244 interchange will be redesigned and reconstructed. It appears from the article that a new flyover will carry cars over I-44 to remove the left hand exit which is great news if that is the case.

“ OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority gave its approval Wednesday for a $39 million interchange modification project at the Tulsa end of the Turner Turnpike.

The OTA agreed to let Director Tim Gatz enter an agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation for an interchange modification where Interstate 44 and Oklahoma 66 meet. Gatz also serves as state transportation secretary and ODOT director.”

https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/tuls...60ce62947.html

Next up they need to tackle the I-44/I-244 interchange where the Gilcrease Tollway will be expanded to. A design like the 91 and 5 interchanges in OC would be cool.

[Pete]

The new section of the Kilpatrick turnpike is almost complete:

[OkiePoke]

Is anyone else having issues viewing the pictures Pete posts? There is just a blank space without any link; I can't copy any code or text in his post.

[Pete]

Is anyone else having issues viewing the pictures Pete posts? There is just a blank space without any link; I can't copy any code or text in his post.

How strange.

I can see them even when I am not logged into the site.


I've recently started uploading and then linking from IMGUR.com; I wonder if that site is somehow blocked for you?

[BoulderSooner]

the kickapoo turnpike is also nearing completion

[OKC Guy]

I can see them (iphone/safari)

Still don’t like this route even though they had limited options due to not securing land years ago. Needed a route to connect going straighter south towards Norman. As we grow we’ll look back at this and wonder why.

[OkiePoke]

How strange.

I can see them even when I am not logged into the site.


I've recently started uploading and then linking from IMGUR.com; I wonder if that site is somehow blocked for you?

Ah yes. Blocked by firewall.

[SEMIweather]

I can see them (iphone/safari)

Still don’t like this route even though they had limited options due to not securing land years ago. Needed a route to connect going straighter south towards Norman. As we grow we’ll look back at this and wonder why.

Yes, this route makes it just about impossible to ever connect to SH-4 south of SH-152 (and therefore, the H.E. Bailey spur and SH-9 heading into Norman as well).

[Pete]

I suspect Hobby Lobby used some influence to make this happen.

They are just about the largest private employer in the city now and their massive warehouse complex is directly on this new route; will make it very easy for their trucks to head west to their rapidly expanding California market.

[SEMIweather]

I'm looking at Google Maps and wondering why they don't have Airport Road highlighted as a freeway from Council to I-44, it is 100% limited access after the traffic light at SW 59th.

Also, based on that last image, I'm assuming they took out the WB Airport Road entrance from Council? Looks like the only WB access from Council now will be to the turnpike extension, and you'll have to turn left at that SW 59th light to head west on Airport Road/SH-152.

One final note, that small westward jog around the Mustang Creek subdivision will be a great monument to one of the dumbest planning decisions I have ever seen. Why OKC let that subdivision get built directly to the south of a highway stub in a rapidly developing part of town that would clearly need additional road access will always be a mystery to me.

[emtefury]

A huge issue is going to be traffic from Hwy 152 East feeding into the I-44/I-240 interchange. I drive by it everyday going West on Hwy 152. Right now Hwy 152 East it backed up everyday from 4pm to 6:30pm. Cars staying to I-44 West have to cross over cars going from Hwy 152 East to I-240. It is poorly designed interchanged. With the turnpike extension feeding into Hwy 152, more cars will now be added to the I-44/I-240 interchange further backing up Hwy 152 East.

When we had a meeting with the OTA about this extension, a person asked about the traffic at the interchange outlining what I wrote. The director's answer (solution) was for ODOT to add another lane to the interchange. We all laughed at him because adding a lane won't fix the issue and second, when is this going happen? He didn't have an answer of when it would happen. My guess it won't happen or maybe 2040.

The area would have been better served to have the turnpike down Sara road to connect to the HE Bailey. HWY 4 from Hwy 152 to the HE Bailey Spur is already a 4 lane road that looks like a turnpike.

Disclosure statement. As noted before on this tread, with the bridge crossing over County Line Road. I now have a bridge to look at and extra cars to listen to when enjoying the outdoors. Yes. I am disgruntled.

[bombermwc]

Having issues with the quote option, but SEMI - they ripped out the cloverleafs but are not done. Eastbound onramp and westbound offramp are now both regular ramps and not clovers. The westbound onramp is almost done. I was out all last week but when i left, they were just about ready to lay the asphalt on it to open it up. The last one left to build is the eastbount offramp. They did all kinds of weird crap like filling in the gap between the two bridges to the bridges are now 6 lanes instead of 2 2-laners. Havne't figured that one out yet. The connector up to the main "run" to the west is still pretty stagnant from what you can see on airport rd. It looks like it's been sitting at the same spot for 6 months, but i'm sure there's more going on there.

Really this whole portion of the project seems to be moving at a snail's pace. They even had to rip out some concrete wall they built under the Council bridge because they put it in the wrong place. D'OH! I thought at first that they were going to add U turnarounds under the bridges (because they ripped up all the concrete/dirt/curb/etc underneath) but now they're just throwing that wall up and the ramps dont have a connector to the U. So it doesn't make much sense to me. Lots of weird crap going on.

[SEMIweather]

Thanks for the update. That part of the project seemed very weird/complex when all the renderings were released years ago so I am interested to see how it all ends up working.

[jedicurt]

How strange.

I can see them even when I am not logged into the site.


I've recently started uploading and then linking from IMGUR.com; I wonder if that site is somehow blocked for you?

yep. so that is why all of sudden i stopped seeing the images. i know my work blocks imgur.