I-44 Construction Thread

[Conan71]

I'm shaking my head at a comment on the OKC's Own website story:

http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=13919812

They are closing Harvard from 7pm Friday to 6am Monday to demolish two bridges they are replacing.  How more seamlessly could they do that, you absolute moron?

Sorry, I'm not signing up for their comments section - I'm just having trouble understanding how some people manage to tie their shoes in the morning.

Could we institute a keyboard tax?

[Nik]

Phase 3 starts today: http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20110301_11_A1_CUTLIN430949

Massive changes are in store for Interstate 44 between Riverside Drive and just east of Peoria Avenue.

Contractors will begin a $40 million project Tuesday to widen that part of the interstate to six lanes. They'll also improve or relocate entrance and exit ramps, replace the bridge over Peoria Avenue and add two new lanes to the eastern end of the Arkansas River bridge. The lanes will be for drivers who want to enter and exit the highway.

"There's going to be a lot of activity happening very quickly," said Kenna Mitchell, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

The project is the third phase of a four-phase $360 million overhaul of the I-44 corridor.

Workers have built the Perryman Ditch - a 1.25-mile tunnel to carry stormwater to the Arkansas River.

And they're continuing to revamp I-44 near Harvard Avenue. That $48 million phase includes widening the interstate to six lanes, reworking its frontage road, creating new entrance and exit ramps and building a second bridge over Harvard Avenue.

The Harvard Avenue phase began in early 2010 and is scheduled to end late this year. The entire project is to be completed in 2013.

"If you consider phases, (the Riverside-Peoria project) is the halfway point," Mitchell said. "This is where we get into a lot of the intense work on the highway itself."

The final phase of the project will go out for bids next year. That phase, estimated to cost $51.7 million, will revitalize the Lewis Avenue area. The work will include construction of a new bridge over the interstate.

Mitchell said the Transportation Department left the Lewis Avenue area for last because it wanted to have well-built alternative routes around Peoria and Harvard avenues when Lewis is shut down. Portions of the road could be closed for several months during the bridge replacement, she said.

"We want to make sure we have good detour routes on either side," she said.

Work between Riverside and Peoria will begin with the construction of a sound wall and temporary patching of the interstate, Mitchell said. The surface work would strengthen the road for the coming lane shifts.

Once the phase is in full swing, drivers should watch for signs with information on problems and detours.

ODOT will keep open access points to area businesses, Mitchell said.

[Renaissance]

Workers have built the Perryman Ditch - a 1.25-mile tunnel to carry stormwater to the Arkansas River.

I don't know who Mr. Perryman is, but I imagine you need to be pretty special to have a ditch named after you.

[Hoss]

I don't know who Mr. Perryman is, but I imagine you need to be pretty special to have a ditch named after you.

Would the founder of the City of Tulsa's first post office be enough?

[DTowner]

Would the founder of the City of Tulsa's first post office be enough?

So, he was just a postman.

[Red Arrow]

So, he was just a postman.

Evidently a pretty good one to get a ditch named after him.

[OSU]

Evidently a pretty good one to get a ditch named after him.

Actually he was terrible. He was famous for just throwing the mail in the Arkansas River instead of going through the trouble of delievering it...That is why the drainage system is named after him, it is symbolic of him throwing the mail into the river...

[Red Arrow]

Actually he was terrible. He was famous for just throwing the mail in the Arkansas River instead of going through the trouble of delievering it...That is why the drainage system is named after him, it is symbolic of him throwing the mail into the river...

Assuming you are correct, I stand corrected.

[OSU]

Assuming you are correct, I stand corrected.

Just to be clear I am 100% not serious.

[bacjz00]

Well he was our first postmaster...the Perryman Family is Tulsa's first family and they owned a good portion of Tulsa County at one time.  Probably deserve something better than a ditch named after them

[RecycleMichael]

The Perryman family owned all the land that is now known as Brookside

[swake]

The Perryman family owned all the land that is now known as Brookside

The family still owns Perryman Ranch at 116th and Elwood in Jenks

[Hoss]

The Perryman family owned all the land that is now known as Brookside

And Tulsa's original post office was run out of the Perryman 'White House' at approximately 38th and Trenton, if memory serves correctly.

[Hoss]

And here's a bit of trivia for those that don't know.

Joe Creek, while it seems a simple name for a creek, was named for Josiah "Joe" Perryman, who was the first Tulsa Postmaster.  Back then it was named "Joe's Creek".

[DTowner]

And Tulsa's original post office was run out of the Perryman 'White House' at approximately 38th and Trenton, if memory serves correctly.

I've always wondered by Tulsa's first post office was so far south (and obviously not in early Tulsa).