I-44 Construction Thread

[sgrizzle]

Maybe it's just me, but why are they closing it for three months to work on ONLY the drainage part. Couldn't they be repaving peoria and working on new ramps at the same time, at least on the south side of the bridge?

[Red Arrow]

Yesterday I was leaving DT heading West on 7th.  244 access is gone there now so I took Denver to hop on 51 at 11th...it was closed.  So I took Riverside thinking 44 access forgetting that was gone too...so I took 41st up to Lewis to 51st for 44 access there.  It was a bummer but I'm ok with it because there will be improvements by gum...there will be improvements.

That was just trying to get West of the river...yes yes, 21st St bridge, I know...I forgot 44 was closed.

I followed Historic 66 yesterday across the river.

[BKDotCom]

I'm still trying to figure out a good way to get to south-bound 75 from downtown...
The denver exit is a a death wish... the 75 ramp is all backed up.. gotta cross all lanes to try to get in the lane that's all backed up... of course they're not to eager to let some "line cutter" in...

The best way I've found is to take SW Blvd and get on at 23rd...   if that's super backed up I'll take that 17th St access road... but then I'm not on 75 til 41st st....

[PepePeru]

I'm still trying to figure out a good way to get to south-bound 75 from downtown...
The denver exit is a a death wish... the 75 ramp is all backed up.. gotta cross all lanes to try to get in the lane that's all backed up... of course they're not to eager to let some "line cutter" in...

The best way I've found is to take SW Blvd and get on at 23rd...   if that's super backed up I'll take that 17th St access road... but then I'm not on 75 til 41st st....

I guess you could try going east on 7th 8th street and get on 75 south there.  That way you can get in line and sit and keep all the other 'line cutters' out.

I hate that.  Whoever proposed that state law that says 'MERGE NOW' is a freaking idiot.  So you have this long single line of cars that actually makes it longer to get through than if cars would line up in both lanes and take turns going through.

[Conan71]

I'm trying to figure out why so many people get on the ramp from the BA onto 75 south then jam on their brakes mid-way over the bridge.  Doesn't seem to happen in morning rush-hour, usually around 2pm.  Is that when they let the idiots out?

I can't believe there hasn't been more accidents at that bottleneck.  Obviously ODOT didn't have too many options in dealing with the IDL closure, but that is the perfect illustration of clusterf*ck.

[Townsend]

I'm trying to figure out why so many people get on the ramp from the BA onto 75 south then jam on their brakes mid-way over the bridge.  Doesn't seem to happen in morning rush-hour, usually around 2pm.  Is that when they let the idiots out?

It's happening in the morning rush now too.

[jackbristow]

I guess you could try going east on 7th 8th street and get on 75 south there.  That way you can get in line and sit and keep all the other 'line cutters' out.

I hate that.  Whoever proposed that state law that says 'MERGE NOW' is a freaking idiot.  So you have this long single line of cars that actually makes it longer to get through than if cars would line up in both lanes and take turns going through.

What makes you think jamming things up trying to take turns going into the one lane would be faster than forming a single line???  You still end up all getting into a single line.  Traffic keeps moving faster if you merge at the back of the line and they can move more quickly at the front.  You may feel like YOU get somewhere faster if you can jam up the front of the line with two lanes, but it really slows down traffic on the whole.

[Conan71]

It's happening in the morning rush now too.

Yep, the jackasses were at it this morning.  20 MPH over a 35 MPH bridge. pancakes?

[Nik]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20091103_11_A1_Aswork736606

Looks like work on the Harvard bridge will begin early next year.

[Nik]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20100107_11_0_Ayalnr484285

Work on I-44 from Yale to 41st begins next week. They say its not part of the widening project from Riverside to Yale, and I don't know why it wouldn't be, but for the purposes of this thread, we'll keep it together.

The article says they are going to close Darlington under the highway during construction. Hopefully when it reopens, some of those smaller shops around Best Buy & BB&B will begin to open up.

[sgrizzle]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20100107_11_0_Ayalnr484285

Work on I-44 from Yale to 41st begins next week. They say its not part of the widening project from Riverside to Yale, and I don't know why it wouldn't be, but for the purposes of this thread, we'll keep it together.

The article says they are going to close Darlington under the highway during construction. Hopefully when it reopens, some of those smaller shops around Best Buy & BB&B will begin to open up.

This is a seperate project which I believe was supposed to be done some time ago, but got delayed until it couldn't wait any longer.

[YoungTulsan]

Really?  They are going to do that at the same time as the Harvard interchange?  Or did they get the report wrong?  What has happened since Monday is they have put up all the construction zone signs along Harvard from 41st to 61st, and along 51st from Utica to Yale (Construction zone, do not follow construction vehicles, fines double, road work next 2 miles, etc etc.).

Will work first be done on the surface streets before the actual interstate is torn down/rebuilt?

[Nik]

With the Yale-41st project going on, its guaranteed that there will be at least two simultaneous projects on I-44. should be fun. last i heard, the harvard interchange was supposed to start in early 2010, but i havent heard anything more specific.

[Nik]

Looks like Phase 2, the Harvard widening, is beginning today: http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=12061253

[Nik]

Project could be delayed: http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=54&articleid=20100412_54_0_Fcnoet764886