OKC Roads and Highways

[PaddyShack]

Thanks for the link!

[baralheia]

The NB I-35 to EB I-40/NB I-35 ramp widening appears to be complete now; both lanes were open when I drove by this morning. Not sure if the WB I-40/SB I-35 to SB I-35 ramp widening is complete yet, however... I couldn't see it from my vantage point.

Additionally, work has begun on the NB I-235 off-ramp to NE 23rd St. I hope work on this ramp goes quickly; traffic is restricted now to one lane, and is only allowed to turn left or go straight. No right turns are allowed while construction is ongoing.

[Plutonic Panda]

It looks NW 178th and Meridian will be getting a roundabout. I could be mistaken, but this would mark the first 4 lane roundabout in OKC and the first suburban roundabout on a arterial road. Will be interesting to see how drivers handle it.

https://kfor.com/2018/10/08/construc...lahoma-county/

[MagzOK]

It looks NW 178th and Meridian will be getting a roundabout. I could be mistaken, but this would mark the first 4 lane roundabout in OKC and the first suburban roundabout on a arterial road. Will be interesting to see how drivers handle it.

https://kfor.com/2018/10/08/construc...lahoma-county/

This is good stuff! I'd like more of these around the city.

[baralheia]

Additionally, work has begun on the NB I-235 off-ramp to NE 23rd St. I hope work on this ramp goes quickly; traffic is restricted now to one lane, and is only allowed to turn left or go straight. No right turns are allowed while construction is ongoing.

Work on the NB I-235 off-ramp to NE 23rd is progressing quickly. The road surface is completely poured; crews still need to finish the pedestrian island between the dedicated right turn lane and the thru lanes, as well as a retaining wall for the elevated section of the now-widened ramp. I think this ramp will probably fully reopen to traffic within the next few weeks. I'm excited!

[ChrisHayes]

I for one wouldn't mind that penny tax for roads/trails being extended for a number of years, if not made permanent. Just as long as it's used for roads, bridges, trails, and sidewalks and having a permanent maintenance program.

[d-usa]

It looks NW 178th and Meridian will be getting a roundabout. I could be mistaken, but this would mark the first 4 lane roundabout in OKC and the first suburban roundabout on a arterial road. Will be interesting to see how drivers handle it.

https://kfor.com/2018/10/08/construc...lahoma-county/

They have tried all kinds of things for that intersection, it just seems pretty accident prone. We’ll see if this will help.

[jonny d]

While it is not great to be on this list, I think OKC roads are getting better. Having been to SFO, this does not shock me at all!

https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfranc...-with-the.html

[Plutonic Panda]

Idk those are some cool cities! LOL

[scottk]

It looks NW 178th and Meridian will be getting a roundabout. I could be mistaken, but this would mark the first 4 lane roundabout in OKC and the first suburban roundabout on a arterial road. Will be interesting to see how drivers handle it.

https://kfor.com/2018/10/08/construc...lahoma-county/

Why not just continue with a 4 way stop...like every other 1x1 mile intersection in far Northwest OKC? Two of the stop signs have already been purchased for north and south bound Meridian.

[mattbrafford]

Does anyone know what the construction at the I-35 and I-44 interchange is near Remington Park?

[Plutonic Panda]

The first phase of reconstructing that interchange. Main line I-35 will be kept together and widened and the left hand exits and entrances will be moved to the right and will flyover I-35. Additionally the ramps connecting I-44 will be widened. The bridge over deep fork creek is the first part and will allow for added capacity when I-35 is widened to six lanes to I-40.

Here’s a link to my post which includes a YouTube video of the rendering of the final product should look like: http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.ph...225#post932225

[HangryHippo]

The first phase of reconstructing that interchange. Main line I-35 will be kept together and widened and the left hand exits and entrances will be moved to the right and will flyover I-35. Additionally the ramps connecting I-44 will be widened. The bridge over deep fork creek is the first part and will allow for added capacity when I-35 is widened to six lanes to I-40.

Here’s a link to my post which includes a YouTube video of the rendering of the final product should look like: http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.ph...225#post932225

I can't find the plans on OKDOT's website. Did they go with Alternative 1?

[Plutonic Panda]

I can't find the plans on OKDOT's website. Did they go with Alternative 1?

Yes. I know this because I emailed them awhile back asking about it and they responded that they did in fact choose alternative 1. I am glad to see the left hand exits removed! Once this interchange is done maybe then they can get to the other 100 interchanges like that in the city! LOL

[HangryHippo]

Yes. I know this because I emailed them awhile back asking about it and they responded that they did in fact choose alternative 1. I am glad to see the left hand exits removed! Once this interchange is done maybe then they can get to the other 100 interchanges like that in the city! LOL

Awesome. Thanks for the response!

[Scott5114]

ODOT put up a new sign on I-35 SB right before Main Street in Norman. Great big sign, clearly marking the road as I-35 and US-77.

The only problem is that at the point that the sign is posted, US-77 is a half-dozen miles east of I-35, running down 12th Avenue and Classen Boulevard until it reaches Noble. Well, they tried...

[baralheia]

The new lanes on the NE 23rd St ramp from northbound I-235 are very close to being open for traffic. Principal construction on the new dedicated right turn lane is complete and the K-rails have been removed as of this morning, but the new lanes are still blocked off with temporary construction cones. It appears the only real tasks remaining are striping and connecting the new ancillary traffic light head. This much needed capacity upgrade will likely be open to traffic within a matter of days.

[Plutonic Panda]

Here’s pictures of the new roundabout in NW OKC. It’s pretty cool to see.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Br3N8NRB...=1aqgq6lxa91s8

[SEMIweather]

Here’s pictures of the new roundabout in NW OKC. It’s pretty cool to see.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Br3N8NRB...=1aqgq6lxa91s8

So random to have this one roundabout in a sea of four-way stops. I guess they'll probably upgrade some of the other intersections in the next few years, though.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^ I interpret it is a pilot by the county. It’s a county project, so perhaps they’re testing the waters.

It would be nice to see the county build a freeway or two without much assistance from OkDOT(similar to a couple Las Vegas freeways), but I don’t see that happening. I’m sure they’ll build more roundabouts if they find this one as a success.

[mugofbeer]

I think roundabouts are great until traffic gets heavy enough to make you feel like Chevy Chase in the Vacation movie.

[cbing04]

Have a question that I am hoping someone can answer for me regarding the streets in Oklahoma. What is it with the lack of turn lanes in this state? I have lived in numerous large cities and can't believe the total disregard for turn lanes like I do here. Major city streets, with thousands of cars daily traveling them and ZERO turn lanes. Is this due to cost saving measures? Piss poor planning? Or the fact that city planners haven't caught on to this wonderful concept in the last 60 years? If anyone could enlighten me I would be curious as to why. Thank you.

[OKC Guy]

Have a question that I am hoping someone can answer for me regarding the streets in Oklahoma. What is it with the lack of turn lanes in this state? I have lived in numerous large cities and can't believe the total disregard for turn lanes like I do here. Major city streets, with thousands of cars daily traveling them and ZERO turn lanes. Is this due to cost saving measures? Piss poor planning? Or the fact that city planners haven't caught on to this wonderful concept in the last 60 years? If anyone could enlighten me I would be curious as to why. Thank you.

Wish I knew. Nothing better than just missing right turn light and 1 car sets up shop in right lane and going straight.

Our Traffic engineers should be mandatory to live in a large city for 1 week and required to drive one side of city to other every morning and night to learn all the tricks of trade.

[TheTravellers]

Have a question that I am hoping someone can answer for me regarding the streets in Oklahoma. What is it with the lack of turn lanes in this state? I have lived in numerous large cities and can't believe the total disregard for turn lanes like I do here. Major city streets, with thousands of cars daily traveling them and ZERO turn lanes. Is this due to cost saving measures? Piss poor planning? Or the fact that city planners haven't caught on to this wonderful concept in the last 60 years? If anyone could enlighten me I would be curious as to why. Thank you.

Probably some of all of the above. Our DOTs (both city and state) are kinda behind the times on certain things, just not sure why this far into the 21st century, we have the internet in OK now, research can be done... Just as a recent example - the Project 180 crosswalk paint lasted all of about a minute and it turns out that specific paint wasn't supposed to be used on that kind of concrete. Why did nobody know this until a bunch of sidewalks got painted? As I said, we're almost 1/5 of the way into the 21st century, these kinds of things aren't/don't have to happen.

[stile99]

Is this due to cost saving measures? Piss poor planning?

A combination of both. This state has proved time and time again they'll happily spend five dollars on something that lasts one month rather than spend fifty dollars on something that lasts a year. Cause five is less than fifty, you see. An idiot could tell you that actually fifty is less than sixty, but we can't seem to think that far ahead.

Case in point: Mustang is doing it right now. Mustang road south of 152 has two schools, one of them the high school. It's a two lane road. It needed expansion YEARS ago. Now that we're to the point that making it at least four lanes, if not five (center turning lane) is a good idea, especially when looking to the future, they're finally expanding it. To three lanes. Yup, they're building the road we needed 10-20 years ago. Could spend a few extra bucks and build the road right, but nope. It'll cost more, WAY more, to do it right in the future, but since it would cost slightly more now, no way.