New I-244 Bridge

[tulsamatt]

The application can be found here http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/recovery/tiger/tulsa_i244/index.htm if anyone is interested in further reading....

[SXSW]

The aesthetic design work hasn't been done because no-one knows if it will happen or not, so if it does get approved, don't expect pictures anytime soon.

I believe the rail component is supposed to be two lines and parallel and slightly lower than the auto component.

Yes the current proposal calls for: 2 rail lines, 1 for HSR and 1 for LRT/Commuter, below the southbound auto lanes of the north bridge.  There are also plans for a bike/pedestrian trail below or to the side of the north bridge where the west bank trail would be extended west where it currently intersects SW Blvd. to where the tracks cross SW Blvd. where it would then join up with the bridge and to the trail on the east bank.  It sure would be nice if they created a entrance/exit for the bridge trail for a future extension of the west bank trail northwest of SW Blvd. along the south shoreline near the refinery.  The south bridge would be auto only. 

As far as the design goes we know George Kaiser has granted funds to hire an architect for the project.  But at this point we don't know who the architect is or what the 'design budget' is for the bridge.  I'm hoping for something like the images I posted but would even be happy with something like the Sailboat Bridge at Grand Lake with some awesome night-time lighting.

Sailboat Bridge



PDF of I-244 bridge plans
http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/recovery/tiger/tulsa_i244/pdfs/alignment.pdf

[sgrizzle]

Booyah!

I-244 multimodal bridge awarded $49.5M grant

Pg 5 & 37 - http://tinyurl.com/yj5lzqb

[Vision 2025]

The engineering selection is underway by ODOT

[Townsend]

Project Benefits:
The project will improve the condition of the existing bridge facilities and minimize operations and maintenance expenditures. The region's economic competitiveness will be enhanced by significant improvements for both truck and rail freight movement over the Arkansas River. The I-244 project, with its key multimodal elements, is critical to Tulsa's proposed transit-oriented development plans. Without this bridge, a planned commuter rail line linking Tulsa's Central Business District and Tulsa's West Bank areas is unable to proceed.

Wow,  that's great.

Page 37.

Now where will the remaining funding come from?

Is there anyone that can screw this up?

[Markk]

Wow,  that's great.

Page 37.

Now where will the remaining funding come from?

Is there anyone that can screw this up?

Sure there is.

Inhofe is one.

Coburn is another.

[Conan71]

Sure there is.

Inhofe is one.

Coburn is another.

Nope, if what I read in the .pdf is correct, the federal funding is there already.

[Hoss]

Nope, if what I read in the .pdf is correct, the federal funding is there already.

Just for the westbound side, according to this morning's paper.  Now they have to figure out something for the eastbound direction.

[TheArtist]

So the trick is going to be getting the state funding?

From what I can tell the Westbound side is the one that will have the rail and bikelane components (since it costs twice as much as the Eastbound).  So this is the most important side to get done if we want to get our "starter rail" plans going in downtown.

[Conan71]

The westbound is the one that makes sense for the muli-modal due to the rail alignment.

Something I find really curious is why did they put a fresh coat of asphalt on the old 11th St./SW Blvd/Route 66 bridge, but yet we are not allowed access to walk or bike across?  Anyone know?

[TheArtist]

The westbound is the one that makes sense for the muli-modal due to the rail alignment.

Something I find really curious is why did they put a fresh coat of asphalt on the old 11th St./SW Blvd/Route 66 bridge, but yet we are not allowed access to walk or bike across?  Anyone know?

Might be to help stave off any further deterioration of the roadbed and the structural part thats immediately underneath.  Plus at least it looks tidy now.

[sgrizzle]

The westbound is the one that makes sense for the muli-modal due to the rail alignment.

Something I find really curious is why did they put a fresh coat of asphalt on the old 11th St./SW Blvd/Route 66 bridge, but yet we are not allowed access to walk or bike across?  Anyone know?

Seal it against further breakdown.

[Conan71]

We all know how brutal pedestrian traffic is 

We get sentimental about the strangest things in Tulsa and have let better treasures than this get torn down.

[sgrizzle]

We all know how brutal pedestrian traffic is 

We get sentimental about the strangest things in Tulsa and have let better treasures than this get torn down.

I have a pdf somewhere that says they were sealing it and inspecting it trying to figure out what to do with it. They wanted to make it open for festival space but that is still cut off as well for the time being.

I've also been told that this bridge had been used in the past as a good place to "dispose of things"

[Conan71]

I've also been told that this bridge had been used in the past as a good place to "dispose of things"

FAIL!  If that's a reason they think they need to keep it gated off.

Things can be disposed of off the 23rd St. or existing SW Blvd. auto bridge now.