3 hour and 45 minute drive from Dallas to Tulsa

[bugo]

Using Google Earth, I came up with a few numbers.  A path following the existing highway when possible, while bypassing congested areas and towns would be approx. 260 miles from the SW corner of the IDL to the I-30/I-45/US 75 interchange in Dallas.  This would be a controlled-access highway with no at-grade intersections, therefore in normal traffic there would be no stops between Tulsa and Dallas.  I calculated the approx. travel times:

average of 60 MPH: 4 hr 20 min
average of 65 MPH: 4 hr
average of 70 MPH: 3 hr 45 min
average of 75 MPH: 3 hrs 30 min

It would be possible to average 75 without the variable of the highway patrol and with traffic in the Dallas metro flowing normally.  It would probably be possible to average 65-70 without speeding, especially if the road from McAlester to the Red River were a turnpike with a SL of 75 which would probably put the average speed above 70 MPH.

Not only would a new highway save time, it would be far safer than the current road and a drive to Dallas would be much less stressful.  And it would have the added benefit of starving those speed trap towns out of existence.

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by bugo

Using Google Earth, I came up with a few numbers.  A path following the existing highway when possible, while bypassing congested areas and towns would be approx. 260 miles from the SW corner of the IDL to the I-30/I-45/US 75 interchange in Dallas.  This would be a controlled-access highway with no at-grade intersections, therefore in normal traffic there would be no stops between Tulsa and Dallas.  I calculated the approx. travel times:

average of 60 MPH: 4 hr 20 min
average of 65 MPH: 4 hr
average of 70 MPH: 3 hr 45 min
average of 75 MPH: 3 hrs 30 min

It would be possible to average 75 without the variable of the highway patrol and with traffic in the Dallas metro flowing normally.  It would probably be possible to average 65-70 without speeding, especially if the road from McAlester to the Red River were a turnpike with a SL of 75 which would probably put the average speed above 70 MPH.

Not only would a new highway save time, it would be far safer than the current road and a drive to Dallas would be much less stressful.  And it would have the added benefit of starving those speed trap towns out of existence.

Interstate 31 (as it would be called, although it wouldn't fit the current numbering scheme as it is east of I-35 and the number is less) has been theorized.  This would essentially make highway 69/75 from Dallas to Omaha interstate grade.  Problem is the money needs to be appropriated from the highway fund to do this first.

[AVERAGE JOE]

quote:Originally posted by deinstein


I'm thinking about going to the Urban Planning school in Arlington. I'd live in Ft. Worth rather than Dallas though.

...speaking of which. Why doesn't OSU-Tulsa get an urban planning program? That would do wonders for the school and the area.

Checked out OU-Tulsa? The Urban Design Studio is a solid program.
http://tulsagrad.ou.edu/studio/

[AgentOrange]

quote:Originally posted by bugo

And it would have the added benefit of starving those speed trap towns out of existence.

Yea...let's kill the small towns of Oklahoma...who needs em?

[sauerkraut]

From OKC you can drive to the D/FW MetroPlex without taking any toll roads, from Tulsa you have to take a short toll road. The D/FW area is a great place to live/visit theres lots to do, and the climate is mild and sunny most of the year. I'd favor a new road to Dallas but as long as it does not turn out to be another toll road, Oklahoma has enough of those.

[sauerkraut]

quote:Originally posted by AgentOrange

quote:Originally posted by bugo

And it would have the added benefit of starving those speed trap towns out of existence.

Yea...let's kill the small towns of Oklahoma...who needs em?

The traveling public needs small towns without them there would be no place to stop for fuel or get help if you have car trouble, you'd have to drive from large city to large city. Dallas & Fort Worth are Rival cities in a way, but on the other hand the D/FW MetroPlex is like one big city of 6 million people and is one of the fastest growing places in the USA.[]

[The Cynic]

quote:Originally posted by Hoss

quote:Originally posted by bugo

Using Google Earth, I came up with a few numbers.  A path following the existing highway when possible, while bypassing congested areas and towns would be approx. 260 miles from the SW corner of the IDL to the I-30/I-45/US 75 interchange in Dallas.  This would be a controlled-access highway with no at-grade intersections, therefore in normal traffic there would be no stops between Tulsa and Dallas.  I calculated the approx. travel times:

average of 60 MPH: 4 hr 20 min
average of 65 MPH: 4 hr
average of 70 MPH: 3 hr 45 min
average of 75 MPH: 3 hrs 30 min

It would be possible to average 75 without the variable of the highway patrol and with traffic in the Dallas metro flowing normally.  It would probably be possible to average 65-70 without speeding, especially if the road from McAlester to the Red River were a turnpike with a SL of 75 which would probably put the average speed above 70 MPH.

Not only would a new highway save time, it would be far safer than the current road and a drive to Dallas would be much less stressful.  And it would have the added benefit of starving those speed trap towns out of existence.

Interstate 31 (as it would be called, although it wouldn't fit the current numbering scheme as it is east of I-35 and the number is less) has been theorized.  This would essentially make highway 69/75 from Dallas to Omaha interstate grade.  Problem is the money needs to be appropriated from the highway fund to do this first.

[joiei]

All you guys complaining about toll roads, do you ever take the toll roads to get around Dallas?

[sauerkraut]

quote:Originally posted by The Cynic

quote:Originally posted by Hoss

quote:Originally posted by bugo

Using Google Earth, I came up with a few numbers.  A path following the existing highway when possible, while bypassing congested areas and towns would be approx. 260 miles from the SW corner of the IDL to the I-30/I-45/US 75 interchange in Dallas.  This would be a controlled-access highway with no at-grade intersections, therefore in normal traffic there would be no stops between Tulsa and Dallas.  I calculated the approx. travel times:

average of 60 MPH: 4 hr 20 min
average of 65 MPH: 4 hr
average of 70 MPH: 3 hr 45 min
average of 75 MPH: 3 hrs 30 min

It would be possible to average 75 without the variable of the highway patrol and with traffic in the Dallas metro flowing normally.  It would probably be possible to average 65-70 without speeding, especially if the road from McAlester to the Red River were a turnpike with a SL of 75 which would probably put the average speed above 70 MPH.

Not only would a new highway save time, it would be far safer than the current road and a drive to Dallas would be much less stressful.  And it would have the added benefit of starving those speed trap towns out of existence.

Interstate 31 (as it would be called, although it wouldn't fit the current numbering scheme as it is east of I-35 and the number is less) has been theorized.  This would essentially make highway 69/75 from Dallas to Omaha interstate grade.  Problem is the money needs to be appropriated from the highway fund to do this first.

There's alot of talk in Congress to bring back the 55 MPH speed limit to save oil and so we won't have to drill Alaska or off shore. I guess the movement is picking up steam in congress. History repeats it's self. 55  mph  was a failure back in the 1970's and it'll be a failure today. The speedlimits should be a state's right anyhow.[xx(]

[bugo]

quote:Originally posted by AgentOrange

quote:Originally posted by bugo

And it would have the added benefit of starving those speed trap towns out of existence.

Yea...let's kill the small towns of Oklahoma...who needs em?

If the only reason they survive is by preying on motorists, then I say good riddance.

Poteau got a bypass, and it's still going strong.  Why can't the towns on the 69 corridor survive?

[bugo]

quote:Originally posted by Hoss
Interstate 31 (as it would be called, although it wouldn't fit the current numbering scheme as it is east of I-35 and the number is less) has been theorized.  This would essentially make highway 69/75 from Dallas to Omaha interstate grade.  Problem is the money needs to be appropriated from the highway fund to do this first.

I-31?  Where did you hear that?  A better number for the road would be 45, which ends at the same exact interchange that 75 currently ends (it used to continue to Galveston.)

Speaking of I-31, did you know that I-31 was the number proposed for I-29 north of Fargo?  The original Interstate plan had a gap in the current I-29 corridor between I-90 and I-94.

[sauerkraut]

quote:Originally posted by bugo

quote:Originally posted by AgentOrange

quote:Originally posted by bugo

And it would have the added benefit of starving those speed trap towns out of existence.

Yea...let's kill the small towns of Oklahoma...who needs em?

If the only reason they survive is by preying on motorists, then I say good riddance.

Poteau got a bypass, and it's still going strong.  Why can't the towns on the 69 corridor survive?

Indeed, we had a town like that in Ohio and the state shut it down in 2004 after many decades of driver abuse. The town even rang up bogus charges on drivers. Drivers were known to avoid going thru that town. The town was only 3 blocks long and 2 blocks wide and had 60 residents and 20 cops. They say the town got about $350,000 to $400,000 in traffic fines a year and they ran their budget on that. Here's a web site about it. www.newromesucks.com

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by bugo

quote:Originally posted by Hoss
Interstate 31 (as it would be called, although it wouldn't fit the current numbering scheme as it is east of I-35 and the number is less) has been theorized.  This would essentially make highway 69/75 from Dallas to Omaha interstate grade.  Problem is the money needs to be appropriated from the highway fund to do this first.

I-31?  Where did you hear that?  A better number for the road would be 45, which ends at the same exact interchange that 75 currently ends (it used to continue to Galveston.)

Speaking of I-31, did you know that I-31 was the number proposed for I-29 north of Fargo?  The original Interstate plan had a gap in the current I-29 corridor between I-90 and I-94.

Hey, a web site proposed it, not me....and I agree, I-45 would be a logical number since it's merely and extension and does run east of I-35.  BUT...Interstate designations using the last digit of 5 north/south indicate a MAJOR interstate.  Not sure that would still be major.  Hell, I wasn't sure it was major between Dallas and Houston.  I've driven that stretch of road more than I can recall.

[OUGrad05]

quote:Originally posted by AVERAGE JOE

The State government in Oklahoma City will continue to block any attempts to create a legitimate highway between Tulsa and Dallas. They want the growth corridor you described to be I-35 through OKC. They have no interest in furthering Tulsa's fortunes in that regard. It will never happen. Not in our lifetimes.

You honestly believe the state is trying to screw Tulsa?  []

Tulsa city government is in bad shape and the citizens of tulsa are so divided and partisan that they can't see whats good/bad for their own town.  Tulsa needs to fix its problems and the money and businesses will come back.  This attitude of blaming anyone and everything except the city of Tulsa is just prolonging the problem!  The state isn't trying to screw Tulsa.

[TulsaFan-inTexas]

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

HT, my observation is that it is more related to the rural areas of the state. When the rest of the state says, "Lets go to the city", they are referring to OKC not Tulsa. Gaylord's publication and the airwaves in the lower 2/3 of the state are dominant. OKC is in a major market, we are not. Our city slicker personality does not compare favorably to their cowtown personality though neither one is accurate.

What that means is that they are more likely to make alliances with, and defer to, the OKC leadership. The challenges are not unlike our own city where we divide between suburban and townie.

Secession seems unlikely any more than South Tulsa leaving the metro though both are pleasant thoughts.

Growing up in the SE part of the state, I'd say your observation is spot on. Everyone just assumes there's only one city in Oklahoma, and that city is Oklahoma City. I'm not sure why, Tulsa is MUCH more attractive and pleasant.