There are 53 bridges in the IDL?

[Renaissance]

The state is getting $465 million for highways.  

I wonder what specific projects this will cover and how much Tulsa will get?

quote: OOKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma Department of Transportation estimates that the state will receive some $465 million for highway transportation projects once the federal government passes an economic stimulus package, officials said Monday.

The highway improvements package awarded to the state is expected to create about 15,000 private-sector jobs, said Gary Ridley, ODOT director.

Ridley said, however, that the expected package, which Congress is debating this week, was far less than what department officials had wanted.

In recent months, department staff members and engineering consultants identified 180 highway transportation projects across the state. The 180 projects totalled $1.1 billion and were pulled from the transportation department's eight-year plan.

"We were a little disappointed," said Ridley about Oklahoma's expected portion.

Of the expected $465 million the state would receive, about $340 million would likely be set aside for projects on ODOT-maintained roads. The estimated remaining $125 million would fund highway projects for individual cities, counties or municipal groups, such as INCOG.

Ridley said the state also expects an additional $33 million for public transportation projects.

Although the Department of Transportation has yet to select what projects will go forward under money given by the stimulus plan, Ridley said projects could include rehabilitating 53 bridges on Tulsa's Interdispersal Loop alone.

The loop is made up of Interstate 244, Interstate 44 and U.S. Highway 75.

Such transportation projects, as well as similar ones in other states, could provide a boom for steel factories, cement kilns and asphalt mills, some of which are located in Oklahoma and have been struggling financially in recent months.

"The good thing about highway projects is you can't outsource that to another country," Ridley said.

Ridley said ODOT would put the bulk of the money to immediate use by moving on $300 million-worth of projects in March.

The transportation department is able to start so quickly because it began planning for a possible stimulus award several months ago when it hired nine consulting engineering firms to help staff members identify potential projects.

As a result, Ridley said Oklahoma is likely ahead of many states.

"We are extremely pleased that we will be ready for almost any amount of money that might come," he said.

The Oklahoma Transportation Commission will hold a special meeting in late March to further discuss the stimulus award.

[nathanm]

Each direction of the IDL that crosses a surface street is two bridges. Then there are the flyover offramps and the numerous bridges for surface streets which cross over the IDL.

While I wouldn't have guessed 53, I would have guessed there were over 35 and am not at all surprised by that number.

[YoungTulsan]

IDL has lots of bridges!

[Double A]

Hopefully, the Senate will include the provisions passed in the House version of the stimulus bill that requires all employers who receive stimulus money to use the e-verify system for all their employees, so that this bill helps American workers as intended, not illegal aliens.

[sgrizzle]

A story that ran prior to the bill creation was that ODOT's list was pretty heavy towards Tulsa, so this could be good for us.

[cannon_fodder]

$465,000,0000 for highways.  Good deal.

$300,000,000 for OKC to gold leaf over passes.
$150,000,000 for rural Oklahoma for bridges to be able to support tractors.
$15,000,000 for Tulsa so some of the downtown bridges can be reopened to support pedestrians again.

[]  

/Will have to wait and see.  I hope our contingent gets its act together sooner rather than later.

[sgrizzle]

Looks like the IDL is getting a facelift after all:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20090212_16_A1_WASHIN963956

quote:
Federal funding to go to Inner Dispersal Loop

by: JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
Thursday, February 12, 2009
2/12/2009 2:49:39 AM

WASHINGTON — Work on Tulsa's Inner Dispersal Loop, viewed as one of the roughest rides in the city, will be among state road projects funded by a massive economic package in Congress, a state official said Wednesday.

Oklahoma Department of Transportation Director Gary Ridley said the huge project, the price tag for which is around $120 million, was designed so it would not have to be done all at once.

Ridley spoke of adding parts of it to an upcoming state list shortly after learning lawmakers had reached a deal on the economic package.

If the funding in the final package remains close to what is expected, he said, the Tulsa work will be put on his agency's project list for March.

Surrounding the downtown business district, the loop is made up of Interstate 244, U.S. 75 and Interstate 444 and includes about 50 bridges.

"It is very bad,'' Ridley said when asked about its current shape.

Conferees announced Wednesday that an agreement has been reached on the differences between the House and Senate versions of the economic package of spending and tax relief designed to spur the nation's ailing economy.

That agreement reportedly cut the total cost of both versions, but it is possible the transportation funds remained close to the levels passed by both chambers.

Still, ODOT's portion is not expected to come close to funding the roughly $1 billion in state projects that could qualify for the time-sensitive funds.

Ridley said that list was being pared using a process to ensure that the projects are critical and an equitable distribution of funds across the state is achieved.

As lawmakers continued working on the bill Wednesday, President Barack Obama and his administration were putting the big push on transportation and other infrastructure spending in the proposal.

Obama visited a construction site in Fairfax County, Va., just outside Washington.

"We're here today because there's a lot of work that needs to be done on our nation's congested roads and highways, crumbling bridges and levees, and crowded trains and transit systems,'' he said.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood met with Ridley and state transportation from across the nation.

Ridley said he assured LaHood that ODOT is well-positioned to move forward with stimulus funding as soon as Congress passes the bill and Obama signs it into law.

"In addition, we were assured that the Federal Highway Administration will work with states to expedite its processes while following necessary requirements,'' he said.

[grahambino]

great news,  it needs it.  i do hope there is complete redesign of at least 3 of the interchanges instead of just a thin layer of blacktop.

[BKDotCom]

How many of these bridges should be removed without being replaced?

I vote on

• 2nd St Exit - With the BOK center now placed firmly in the middle of 2nd street, 2nd street is no longer an artery.  Instead of a big ol exit ramp over the highway and train tracks, just exit onto Nogales / Charles Page Blvd...  
• 12th St over US-75 - It's a long 4 lane bridge with squat traffic.   Just use 11th or 13th St.
• 3rd Street - Again, not much traffic over here..  Do we really need two bridges a block apart..  With 3rd street being west-only... and already splits over to 4th street @ Owasso Ave... Just use 4th Street  (or 6th)
• Ramps from S-bound 444 to E-bound Broken Arrow - This has never made sense to me.. There are 2 long ramps here that merge into one.  You can exit left, or exit right...

Sure, there would be expense involved in changing things up, but certainly not the cost of replacing/repairing/maintaining unnecessary bridges.

[nathanm]

quote:Originally posted by BKDotCom

How many of these bridges should be removed without being replaced?

I vote on

• 2nd St Exit - With the BOK center now placed firmly in the middle of 2nd street, 2nd street is no longer an artery.  Instead of a big ol exit ramp over the highway and train tracks, just exit onto Nogales / Charles Page Blvd...  
• 12th St over US-75 - It's a long 4 lane bridge with squat traffic.   Just use 11th or 13th St.
• 3rd Street - Again, not much traffic over here..  Do we really need two bridges a block apart..  With 3rd street being west-only... and already splits over to 4th street @ Owasso Ave... Just use 4th Street  (or 6th)
• Ramps from S-bound 444 to E-bound Broken Arrow - This has never made sense to me.. There are 2 long ramps here that merge into one.  You can exit left, or exit right...

Sure, there would be expense involved in changing things up, but certainly not the cost of replacing/repairing/maintaining unnecessary bridges.

The last thing we want to do is make the highway even more of a barrier.

[PonderInc]

Here's a cost-saving measure...get rid of part of downtown's expressway choke-collar.

There doesn't appear to be any real reason to have Hwy 75 bewteen I-244 and the Broken Arrow Expressway.  Anyone who needs to go north can do it in another mile on the west side of town.

[USRufnex]

not a good idea if you want folks from SE Tulsa/BA to go downtown/blue dome/ballpark/brady... replace I-444 with a ground level road with a speed limit of 45-50mph, 4 lanes with a middle turn lane?... call it "Pearl Drive" or "Pearl Parkway" and you got yourselves a deal.....

[BKDotCom]

quote:Originally posted by nathanm

quote:Originally posted by BKDotCom

How many of these bridges should be removed without being replaced?

I vote on

• 2nd St Exit - With the BOK center now placed firmly in the middle of 2nd street, 2nd street is no longer an artery.  Instead of a big ol exit ramp over the highway and train tracks, just exit onto Nogales / Charles Page Blvd...  
• 12th St over US-75 - It's a long 4 lane bridge with squat traffic.   Just use 11th or 13th St.
• 3rd Street - Again, not much traffic over here..  Do we really need two bridges a block apart..  With 3rd street being west-only... and already splits over to 4th street @ Owasso Ave... Just use 4th Street  (or 6th)
• Ramps from S-bound 444 to E-bound Broken Arrow - This has never made sense to me.. There are 2 long ramps here that merge into one.  You can exit left, or exit right...

Sure, there would be expense involved in changing things up, but certainly not the cost of replacing/repairing/maintaining unnecessary bridges.

The last thing we want to do is make the highway even more of a barrier.

How does the removal of any of those create more of a barrier?   Maaaybe the 3rd street one...  the ba-exchange one definitely not..   the exit ramp to 2nd street if anything helps the west side... rather than empty into the inside of the IDL, my proposal is to exit on the outside...   the 12 street bridge.. sorta runs parallel... it's a waste

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by USRufnex

not a good idea if you want folks from SE Tulsa/BA to go downtown/blue dome/ballpark/brady... replace I-444 with a ground level road with a speed limit of 45-50mph, 4 lanes with a middle turn lane?... call it "Pearl Drive" or "Pearl Parkway" and you got yourselves a deal.....

I go downtown on the BA all the time from my house and go to the Brady and Blue Dome areas. I always take the Detroit exit.  I have never once in my life gone on that section of highway. Removing that section would be an incredible idea imo.

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

quote:Originally posted by USRufnex

not a good idea if you want folks from SE Tulsa/BA to go downtown/blue dome/ballpark/brady... replace I-444 with a ground level road with a speed limit of 45-50mph, 4 lanes with a middle turn lane?... call it "Pearl Drive" or "Pearl Parkway" and you got yourselves a deal.....

I go downtown on the BA all the time from my house and go to the Brady and Blue Dome areas. I always take the Detroit exit.  I have never once in my life gone on that section of highway. Removing that section would be an incredible idea imo.

I would think that the people who work in B'Ville (Uncle Frank) and live along the BA as a main transitway to that destination might have something to say about that, since that section of the IDL directly hooks up with US 75.