I-44 Construction Thread

[Nik]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20120623_11_A1_CUTLIN99760

Looks like construction begins late August.

[joiei]

I left town on Saturday morning headed to 75 and took Peoria down and it looked like everything was open.  It sure was easy getting on I-44 westbound.   And the traffic was flowing with NO backups.   

[Nik]

I left town on Saturday morning headed to 75 and took Peoria down and it looked like everything was open.  It sure was easy getting on I-44 westbound.   And the traffic was flowing with NO backups.   

Yeah, I think everything is open on Peoria except for the Texas Turnarounds.

[Hoss]

Yeah, I think everything is open on Peoria except for the Texas Turnarounds.

Actually, those are open now.  Via ODOT's Twitter..and my cousin (who takes that route to work):

ODOT
TULSA-Protected turnarounds open at I-44/Peoria; easy access to frontage roads. No waiting through the light! pic.twitter.com/BzorxHKt

[DolfanBob]

Yeah, I think everything is open on Peoria except for the Texas Turnarounds.

Are they doing the turnarounds like the one at Harvard? I so likey those.  

Hmm. Or is it Yale?

[Hoss]

Are they doing the turnarounds like the one at Harvard? I so likey those.  

Hmm. Or is it Yale?

Might be some at Harvard; I know they have them at Yale AND at Memorial (and have had them there for some time).

And the answer is yes, they did do them like that.

EDIT:  Harvard by design cannot have them, since the south frontage road for I-44 there is 51st, which runs two ways.

[DolfanBob]

Might be some at Harvard; I know they have them at Yale AND at Memorial (and have had them there for some time).

And the answer is yes, they did do them like that.

Sweet. Tulsa is growing up.

[Hoss]

Sweet. Tulsa is growing up.

Should be required of all freeways that have one way frontage roads on either side.  I realize not all do, but I always wondered why it took so long for them to do this, given that I lived in Houston long enough to see the advantages of them.

[Townsend]

I-44 Final Contract Awarded

http://kwgs.com/post/i-44-final-contract-awarded

The final phase of the I-44 widening project is awarded. The Lewis to Peoria Stretch will cost 50-million dollars.

Manhattan Road and Bridge and Allen Construction were awarded the contract. When work begins in August, Lewis Avenue will be shut down for the majority of the project. That will send traffic to Peoria or Harvard.

It should reopen at the end of 2013.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Sweet. Tulsa is growing up.

Careful!!  That is a very sweeping statement given the condition of so many city streets.... they are still a catastrophic mess with no relief in sight.

[Weatherdemon]

Careful!!  That is a very sweeping statement given the condition of so many city streets.... they are still a catastrophic mess with no relief in sight.

I think that is an overstatement.

Tulsa roads have improved dramatically in the 10 years. Granted, there is a lot of work left to do but to things are improved and continue to improve.
Construction to fix roads doesn't count as bad roads.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I think that is an overstatement.

Tulsa roads have improved dramatically in the 10 years. Granted, there is a lot of work left to do but to things are improved and continue to improve.
Construction to fix roads doesn't count as bad roads.

Construction to fix roads also doesn't count as getting good roads.  We are SOOOO far behind, I would submit that, without a MAJOR refocus on replace/repair, it will be impossible to reach a point where road conditions in town can be considered "improving" let along good!


Did you make it by the barbeque?  Was it fit to eat??

[Weatherdemon]

Construction to fix roads also doesn't count as getting good roads.  We are SOOOO far behind, I would submit that, without a MAJOR refocus on replace/repair, it will be impossible to reach a point where road conditions in town can be considered "improving" let along good!


Did you make it by the barbeque?  Was it fit to eat??

Yea, we let things get SOOOO bad it was really embarassing.
Thank God my Durango was my primary vehicle when I live in midtown!

They have Harvard and Yale mostly in good shape. Around TU was just TERRIBLE for years! I never understood why they let the streets around TU get so bad with all of the visitors they bring with sporting events, student visits, and conventions at the Reynolds Center.

Haven't made it by the BBQ place yet. It will either be this Friday or next Friday before I have a chance too.
Can't wait to check it out though!

[BKDotCom]

If only we could get rid of those terrible cloverleaf interchanges and the awful eastbound BA to southbound 169 merge

The I44 us75 cloverleaf.... 44 is in a valley.. I envision elevating 75 so that it no longer goes down into the valley and having the ramps/interchange underneath.
part of the problem is that on 75, large trucks and underpowered cars have a hard time climbing the hill, which further contributes to the slowdown.

Here's what will become known as the bkdotcom-roundabout interchange... thru traffic doesn't go through the roundabout.    Only those wanting to change course do.
I-44 is on the bottom (green), the yellow interchange is next, and US-75 (red) is on top.

[Hoss]

If only we could get rid of those terrible cloverleaf interchanges and the awful eastbound BA to southbound 169 merge

The I44 us75 cloverleaf.... 44 is in a valley.. I envision elevating 75 so that it no longer goes down into the valley and having the ramps/interchange underneath.
part of the problem is that on 75, large trucks and underpowered cars have a hard time climbing the hill, which further contributes to the slowdown.

Here's what will become known as the bkdotcom-roundabout interchange... thru traffic doesn't go through the roundabout.    Only those wanting to change course do.
I-44 is on the bottom (green), the yellow interchange is next, and US-75 (red) is on top.

I know that's kind of tongue-in-cheek but I don't think interstates allow any kind of roundabout interchange.  Yet, that is.



Tulsans have a hard enough time at the Traffic Circle.  That would just plain be a nightmare.

I will say, however, that the interchange at 169 and the BA needs overhauling.  Into a stack design as seen here.  I've witnessed far too many near misses there.