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Kickapoo Turnpike

Started by Plutonic Panda, January 09, 2018, 12:13:46 AM

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Plutonic Panda

The Eastern Oklahoma County Turnpike is officially starting construction next week. The first phase will be an interchange at I-44.

More information can be found here: http://www.drivingforwardok.com/northeast-ok-county-loop

http://kfor.com/2018/01/08/construction-set-to-begin-on-eastern-oklahoma-county-turnpike/

I am really looking forward to these projects getting done. I will start a thread on the Kilpatrick Extension once it gets underway which should be soon.

[Edited to rename the thread to the turnpike's final name. -S.]


Plutonic Panda

PS, I am still wondering what they will call this turnpike. An x35 designation would be nice.

As an aside, I would like to see I-44 follow Kilpatrick Turnpike to SH-74 and then go south from there. Seems like it would be easier to do it that way. With the way OKC is growing, it is only a matter of time before the sprawl surrounds a good portion of the Turner Turnpike.

triplemultiplex

Quote from: Plutonic Panda on January 09, 2018, 12:17:21 AM
PS, I am still wondering what they will call this turnpike. An x35 designation would be nice.

That would require a direct connection to I-35 at some point... ;)
Certainly a deserving 3di corridor in my book, though.
"That's just like... your opinion, man."

Plutonic Panda

#3
Quote from: triplemultiplex on January 09, 2018, 09:25:14 AM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on January 09, 2018, 12:17:21 AM
PS, I am still wondering what they will call this turnpike. An x35 designation would be nice.

That would require a direct connection to I-35 at some point... ;)
Certainly a deserving 3di corridor in my book, though.
The preliminary alignment(which is still available online to view) showed a stub extending northward over I-44. They have changed that with the final alignment and now show a stub extending southwards of I-40 about 1/4 mile past the interchange similar to the Kilpatrick stub in SW OKC.

That tells me the OTA intends to create a loop around Norman possibly connecting to I-35. In a perfect world, I'd like to see SH-9 realigned through the southern interchange on I-35 and a new stack interchange built along with a new bridge going over the river. It would eventually reconnect with SH-9 somewhere further east of OU.

Anyways, the OTA obviously some sort of intention with extending the EOC south and I'd like to know what it is. That's why I'm anxious for these projects to get done as I suspect it's rather a matter of time before the next round of projects are announced.

I just hope they are working with cities to prevent the clusterfuck that is the SW Kilpatrick ext.

Bobby5280

I think chances are slim this rural turnpike will get an Interstate designation. Most likely it will get another OK-3XX designation, if it gets a highway number at all.

Converting OK-9 to a freeway through the South side of Norman is do-able even though it would be a tight squeeze. I don't know what kinds of political opposition could develop against such a thing. But a connection from OK-9 to directly to this new turnpike would make it more valuable and worth of a I-x35 or I-x44 number. Such a road could increase chances of buiding a freeway along or near OK-9 from Riverwind Casino over to the H.E. Bailey Turnpike extension. That would create a complete southern half of an outer loop around OKC. It would leave the clusterf*** and resulting Breezewood in Mustang as the only gap in a complete OKC outer loop.

I don't like those tiny cloverleaf ramps at both the I-44 and I-40 interchanges. Cheap cheap cheap.

Plutonic Panda

Couldn't agree more about the cloveleafs. It is obviously a budget issue. They even put the future flyover ramps at SH-74 and Kilpatrick on an indefinite hold.

Previous plans had at a coupe flyovers and two at the I-40/Kilpatrick interchange, but that was dropped as well.

sparker

Quote from: Bobby5280 on January 09, 2018, 10:57:19 AM
I think chances are slim this rural turnpike will get an Interstate designation. Most likely it will get another OK-3XX designation, if it gets a highway number at all.

I don't like those tiny cloverleaf ramps at both the I-44 and I-40 interchanges. Cheap cheap cheap.

Not only cheap -- but it's obvious that at the present they don't figure to get much traffic from WB I-40 to WB I-44 or the reverse.  Looks like the primary consideration is simply a bypass rather than a stand-alone connector between two Interstates.  And I agree with the opinion that OK will select a 3xx state number rather than try for an Interstate -- from their past record with the pre-existing designation of US 69, they could care less.

Bobby5280

Oklahoma's budget issues for highways and everything else will remain a big problem as long as lawmakers and most of Oklahoma's citizens remain detached from reality with regard to funding infrastructure. The philosophy is doling out tax cuts above all other priorities, even if it breaks the budget. Voters scapegoat the usual boogeymen (poor people, minorities, etc) for why the state can't afford to build some of the big highway projects going up in neighboring states. Our state's voters believe the fantasy that we can somehow get rid of all the tollgates, not raise the fuel tax at all but still be able to fix and improve our highways. Never mind considering all the factors which have greatly increased the price of highway projects.

I expect any big new highways in Oklahoma to feature toll gates in the foreseeable future.

Scott5114

Quote from: Bobby5280 on January 09, 2018, 10:57:19 AM
I don't know what kinds of political opposition could develop against such a thing.

Any political opposition that developed would be shouted down by the rest of Norman going "GOD, SHUT THE HELL UP." SH-9 is fantastically unpopular in its current state. Improving SH-9 would make access to East Norman tremendously easier, and maybe more importantly, make getting into and out of the OU stadium much, much easier. And we all know that Owen Field is a religious site for most Oklahomans, so all that needs to be done is putting that trump card out there.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

Bobby5280

The main lanes of existing OK-9 between I-35 and the Classen Blvd exit are pretty much freeway grade. The question is what to do with the 8 at-grade intersections (7 with traffic lights) between I-35 and Classen. Exits can't be built for each intersection, which might necessitate flanking the main lanes with frontage roads at least in a couple places. That could be a really tight squeeze between SW 24th Ave and Chautauqua Ave.

Nevertheless I think upgrading OK-9 through there, as well as the stretch by Riverwind Casino, is a pretty necessary, justifiable thing.

East of Classen Blvd I think it would be a little easier upgrading OK-9 into a freeway or toll road. But it looks like a few residential properties would have to be bought and cleared along the way.

Scott5114

Quote from: Bobby5280 on January 10, 2018, 04:22:10 PM
The main lanes of existing OK-9 between I-35 and the Classen Blvd exit are pretty much freeway grade. The question is what to do with the 8 at-grade intersections (7 with traffic lights) between I-35 and Classen. Exits can't be built for each intersection, which might necessitate flanking the main lanes with frontage roads at least in a couple places. That could be a really tight squeeze between SW 24th Ave and Chautauqua Ave.

Nevertheless I think upgrading OK-9 through there, as well as the stretch by Riverwind Casino, is a pretty necessary, justifiable thing.

East of Classen Blvd I think it would be a little easier upgrading OK-9 into a freeway or toll road. But it looks like a few residential properties would have to be bought and cleared along the way.

You could get away with closing off a few intersections without providing direct access to cut down on the number of interchanges. Berry, Imhoff, and McGee all tie into each other south of SH-9, so they could share a single interchange at Imhoff, and Chatauqua and Jenkins could probably get away with sharing as well.

I think the most difficult part would be squeezing the ramps in without taking too much property, as well as addressing the mess at 24th Avenue SW.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

bugo

From the first link:

QuoteThis project will allow for a connection from Eastern Oklahoma County to vital intersections for travel. This will produce a drive-time reduction to access Tulsa from the OKC Metro and a needed new loop to alleviate current congested traffic in the Oklahoma City area. Construction will link I-40 and I-44 (Turner Turnpike) in Eastern Oklahoma County.

I don't see how it will make it faster from Tulsa to most parts of OKC other than the eastern parts of the metro. It will still be quicker to stay on I-44 to get from downtown OKC and from most parts of the metro to Tulsa and points east. When (if) this loop is completed it will be useful but the first part of the turnpike won't be very useful until more of it is finished.

Bobby5280

That's why I think it's necessary to do freeway upgrades on OK-9 in South Norman and the non-freeway stretch of OK-9 West of I-35 passing by Riverwind Casino to the H E Bailey Turnpike extension. If OTA and ODOT efforts can connect this new EOC turnpike with OK-9 and the existing H E Bailey Turnpike extension South of OKC then that would provide an effective Southern bypass for long distance traffic around the OKC metro. It would certainly help long distance traffic on I-44. A northern extension of the EOC up and over to I-35 would create another logical bypass.

Plutonic Panda

Here's an update of a month or so old aerial imagery from OKCTalk(development forum for Oklahoma City area):

http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=41358&p=1063008#post1063008

The Ghostbuster

Does anyone think the EOC Turnpike is a waste of transportation dollars? Or is it a useful addition to Oklahoma's Turnpike system? I don't have an opinion either way, but given the previous opposition, and the lawsuit against it, I wonder if there were better options to addressing transportation needs without building this new toll road.

Plutonic Panda

I believe it is a good use of money though it is a bit worthless without an extension to I-35. They should have went for a bigger project and included a Norman loop. They also need to eventually connect it to I-35 north near Edmond.

Bobby5280

At least this road would be one leg of what would hopefully be future extensions down to Norman as well as up and over the top of Edmond.

US 89

I'd suggest tying the EOC Turnpike directly into SH 9 southeast of Thunderbird Lake, and upgrading SH 9 between I-35 and there, as other have mentioned. That way SH 9 itself can function as part of the southeast beltway.

Although I'll agree it looks tight for SH 9 west of Chautauqua Avenue, it looks doable, although it'll likely take at least a little eminent domain, and it looks to me like any interchange at 24th Avenue would probably take some reconstruction of the I-35 interchange as well. Otherwise, perhaps some tight diamonds or SPUIs could work, like this one. (Either way, SH 9 should be easier to upgrade than the highway in that link, where no ROW was originally preserved!)


X99

May I ask: Where is it? It isn't showing up on Google Maps, it isn't on DigitalGlobe or EsriWorld (or any other OSM edit background), and there aren't even proposed lines for it on OSM. Was it cancelled or something?
why are there only like 5 people on this forum from south dakota

Scott5114

No, it's well under construction. Those sources just don't bother with keeping up to date on Oklahoma, cause fuck us, right?

It appears on Google imagery starting here (and scroll south): https://www.google.com/maps/@35.6416318,-97.1931014,1524m/data=!3m1!1e3
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

Chris

It's visible on the latest Google Earth imagery, but not in Google Maps for some reason (click to enlarge):


Bobby5280

In Google Earth the imagery surrounding Oklahoma City is dated 11/18/2018 while the imagery within OKC itself is dated 12/12/2017. The construction on the EOC is clearly visible. I-40 had a widening project in progress from near where the EOC connects to I-40 and back West to the I-240 split. Street View imagery on I-44 at the EOC junction is date July 2018. It shows early progress on the project. Street View imagery on I-40 at the EOC junction is dated May of 2018. Nothing had started there yet at that time.

The Southern, short extension of the Kilpatrick Turnpike to Airport Road in OKC is well underway and also visible in Google Earth.

X99

It shows up on yahoo maps as under construction and in yahoo satellite view at close zoom.

I'll try to add it to OSM but I dont know if I can line it up right.
why are there only like 5 people on this forum from south dakota

Plutonic Panda

Google Earth imagery always gets updated first for whatever reason and then usually maps is updated a few weeks later.

MNHighwayMan

Why would any online map service add a road before it is finished and open?



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