New I-244 Bridge

[Hoss]

Plus all the people from the growth areas of Jenks, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Owasso, Skiatook, Coweta, Catoosa, Claremore, Collinsville who also use those roads and bridges.

^^^
This.  I love how people tend to not see the big picture.

[Red Arrow]

For the curious:
Tulsa's population "growth":
   1980: 360,919
   1990: 367,302
   2000: 393,049
   2010: 391,906

And every one of them uses Memorial Drive south of the Creek Turnpike.

[Conan71]

And every one of them uses Memorial Drive south of the Creek Turnpike.

I sure love my mid-town location.

[nathanm]

And every one of them uses Memorial Drive south of the Creek Turnpike.

Sounds like you could use some commuter rail to Bixby. (Not for you, but to get the other schlubs off the road)

[heironymouspasparagus]

We need a high speed rail from OKC to Tulsa, with decent local commuter spokes to Moore/Norman/Edmond/Yukon/Midwest City from OKC and to Jenks/BA/Skiatook/Owasso/Catoosa/Bixby from Tulsa.

[nathanm]

I agree wholeheartedly. I just doubt we'll see high speed rail around here any time soon. OKC seems to have little interest and the price tag would be pretty darn high, since the existing route isn't suitable for high speed operation.

[heironymouspasparagus]

My great grandkids won't live long enough to see it.  And most of them aren't even here yet.

[Red Arrow]

I sure love my mid-town location.

When we moved here in 1971, Memorial was 2 lane (total) south of the railroad tracks at 41st.  It didn't matter regarding traffic.  Take a look at Google Maps at the newer housing additions.  They are more dense than a lot of Tulsa proper.

[Red Arrow]

Sounds like you could use some commuter rail to Bixby. (Not for you, but to get the other schlubs off the road)

I think there is enough population to support rail up Memorial.  The question is whether enough people are going to the same places.  Rail won't help the Saturday and Sunday shopping traffic.  It's only going to get worse with more shopping going in on the west side of Memorial between 101st and 111th.  The apartments going in by 126th will be a traffic disaster.  A lot more people in the morning are getting on 169 northbound than the turnpike westbound.  That might be a good indicator for rail but I am not going to hold my breath waiting.

[Conan71]

When we moved here in 1971, Memorial was 2 lane (total) south of the railroad tracks at 41st.  It didn't matter regarding traffic.  Take a look at Google Maps at the newer housing additions.  They are more dense than a lot of Tulsa proper.

My dad's law office was out in Broken Arrow at Kenosha and Elm back in those days.  I think the core of BA at the time was maybe 3 square miles and Bixby was way out in the sticks when a friend's mother bought a mini ranch out on 121st (mosquito alley) in the mid 1970's.  You've definitely witnessed a lot of density increase in 40 years.

[Red Arrow]

and Bixby was way out in the sticks

It sure was.  We were a caravan of 3 cars with walkie-talkie communication.  We turned south on Memorial from I-44.  Somewhere around 61st street, civilization was a mile behind us.  I called on the radio and asked if we were going to Texas.  Dad said no, it was only a few more miles. The next day we kids did some exploring of our new home town.  There was a bunch of not-much between 111th and the river going farther south to downtown Bixby.  There was still a fair amount of activity in downtown.

[Red Arrow]

the existing route isn't suitable for high speed operation.

I've flown over a lot of it between Tulsa to near Chandler.  The curves would probably make an uncomfortable high speed ride even if the track and cars were capable.  On top of that, the route goes through too many of the towns along the way.  A by-pass would be needed to avoid too many at grade crossings.  I would be surprised if a train could even match the time of a trip down the turnpike with the present route.

[heironymouspasparagus]

It sure was.  We were a caravan of 3 cars with walkie-talkie communication.  We turned south on Memorial from I-44.  Somewhere around 61st street, civilization was a mile behind us.  I called on the radio and asked if we were going to Texas.  Dad said no, it was only a few more miles. The next day we kids did some exploring of our new home town.  There was a bunch of not-much between 111th and the river going farther south to downtown Bixby.  There was still a fair amount of activity in downtown.

We moved to 21st & Memorial in 1963.  City limits sign was about 100 feet east of Memorial on 21st - population 161,000.  South on Memorial, when got past 31st, it was two lane, through high school.  Remember one winter when driving in front of Village Inn, skidded on ice and almost went into the 6' deep bar ditch on side of road.

31st & Sheridan - heading east on 31st - just a little ways past Sheridan, turned to gravel road - past the Pitezel's place, who was State Representative for a long time.

Broken Arrow - would leave the high school parking lot with a friend who had a 1957 Ford.  Could go down Sheridan, get on BA, and be on main street BA in less than 15 minutes - going very fast.  When got off at 161st E. Ave, go to 61st and turned left toward main.  South of 61st it was all gravel road and farms to the river.

[Townsend]

How much taller is the new bridge going to be?  I drove by and realized there still needs another level right?

[dsjeffries]

How much taller is the new bridge going to be?  I drove by and realized there still needs another level right?

I think the lower deck is there on the lower portion. It's hard to tell when you're driving by, but the part you can see as you drive past is the top deck.