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I-44/US-75 Interchange Reconstruction(Tulsa)

Started by Plutonic Panda, October 28, 2017, 03:29:43 AM

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Plutonic Panda



sparker

Quote from: Plutonic Panda on September 12, 2020, 04:45:45 PM
Sparker, here is the project meeting page with the links to the renders included: https://www.ok.gov/odot/Programs_and_Projects/Public_Meetings_and_Hearings/20171102_I-44.html

Much thanks!  Looks like 3/4 of a stack, but with one outflung ramp (WB>SB).  Noticed that the flyovers had minimal berms, with more bents than usual; this was discussed in Mid-South about the US 69/96//TX 73 interchange revamp plans at Port Arthur, done so because of soggy ground and/or a high water table which calls for less weight bearing on the ground -- hence more bridge and less embankment.  Although well inland compared to the TX example, my own impression from my travels through that area was that the Arkansas River floodplain features quite a bit of this type of environment -- soggy ground and difficulty with projects that need to bridge the river or simply impinge on the floodplain -- which would definitely have an effect on facility design.     

Plutonic Panda

A lovely surprise would be ODOT decides to go all out and build the clover as a direct connect. One can dream.

sparker

Quote from: Plutonic Panda on September 13, 2020, 04:08:12 AM
A lovely surprise would be ODOT decides to go all out and build the clover as a direct connect. One can dream.

Doubtful -- that's a really secondary movement; I-244, which terminates about a mile west on I-44 and with which the US 75 freeway merges about a mile and a half north handles the traffic that would utilize the movement.  ODOT could have conceivably simply left the cloverleaf loop out of the interchange completely -- as well as the opposite-movement direct SB>WB ramp -- and likely wouldn't have drawn a lot of criticism for doing so since they're largely redundant. 

Bobby5280

Quote from: sparkerNow -- if US 75 were to be upgraded as a freeway all the way down to the I-40/INT interchange -- with the likely ensuing uptick in AADT -- a stack might be warranted.  But for the present, something a little less "glamorous" would suffice.

I think US-75 through Tulsa has enough traffic on it currently to warrant a 4-level directional stack design. The problem is Oklahoma's lawmakers are such cheapskates they won't build anything like that, even in Tulsa. A proper freeway upgrade of US-75 from Tulsa down to I-40 and the Indian Nation Turnpike might attract even more thru traffic.

It is interesting the long I-44 WB to US-75 SB flyover ramp and US-75 NB to I-44 EB at grade ramp are both 2 lanes wide while the others are just single lane ramps. At least that might factor in some future improvements and growth along the US-75 corridor South of Tulsa.

sparker

Quote from: Bobby5280 on September 17, 2020, 03:36:16 PM
Quote from: sparkerNow -- if US 75 were to be upgraded as a freeway all the way down to the I-40/INT interchange -- with the likely ensuing uptick in AADT -- a stack might be warranted.  But for the present, something a little less "glamorous" would suffice.

I think US-75 through Tulsa has enough traffic on it currently to warrant a 4-level directional stack design. The problem is Oklahoma's lawmakers are such cheapskates they won't build anything like that, even in Tulsa. A proper freeway upgrade of US-75 from Tulsa down to I-40 and the Indian Nation Turnpike might attract even more thru traffic.

It is interesting the long I-44 WB to US-75 SB flyover ramp and US-75 NB to I-44 EB at grade ramp are both 2 lanes wide while the others are just single lane ramps. At least that might factor in some future improvements and growth along the US-75 corridor South of Tulsa.

I wonder if ODOT anticipates the INT/US 75 continuum (at least north of US 69) to have potential as an alternative to the US 69 slog through Muskogee, Choteau, Pryor etc., so they're expediting movement that would enhance that as a commercial throughput with the higher-capacity ramps N>E and W>S.  If our own collective input into the situation -- as evidenced upthread -- can imagine that scenario, someone at ODOT might have an inkling along the same lines, especially now that the Muskogee bypass was thrown back in their faces.  OTA might like this as well, since it would hold the potential for more miles/revenue on the Will Rogers (and possibly Creek) pike.       

Bobby5280

Quote from: sparkerI wonder if ODOT anticipates the INT/US 75 continuum (at least north of US 69) to have potential as an alternative to the US 69 slog through Muskogee, Choteau, Pryor etc., so they're expediting movement that would enhance that as a commercial throughput with the higher-capacity ramps N>E and W>S.

I doubt if the improved interchange will attract commercial truck traffic from the US-69 corridor. US-69 is the most direct route for trucks coming up from Texas and heading to the Northeast US. Tulsa is out of the way. Even though Muskogee and other towns along US-69 have the occasional stop lights and speed traps the level of traffic in Tulsa can be its own slog.

Tulsa is one of the few areas in Oklahoma that is actually adding population. There is a decent amount of growth on Tulsa's South side in places like Jenks and Glenpool. ODOT really needs to get on the ball with improving US-75 to the South of the Creek Turnpike. At grade intersections need to be converted into freeway exits at 131st St, 141st St, 171th St and 181st St. Frontage roads need to be added for access for other at grade intersections. ODOT needs to get to work on that stuff soon before any idiots allow developers to build new stuff right up on the freaking roadway. At the very least they need to start on the frontage roads to block out the ROW for future freeway improvement.

Upgrades along US-75 will get easier South of Glenpool. But Okmulgee will need a new terrain bypass to get any new freeway built through there. I'm not even sure the 2 lane Oklahoma Loop 56 on the East side of Okmulgee has enough ROW width for any sort of freeway upgrade. The footprint looks only big enough for a regular 4 lane divided road with at-grade intersections.

sparker

Quote from: Bobby5280 on September 18, 2020, 09:17:58 PM
Quote from: sparkerI wonder if ODOT anticipates the INT/US 75 continuum (at least north of US 69) to have potential as an alternative to the US 69 slog through Muskogee, Choteau, Pryor etc., so they're expediting movement that would enhance that as a commercial throughput with the higher-capacity ramps N>E and W>S.

I doubt if the improved interchange will attract commercial truck traffic from the US-69 corridor. US-69 is the most direct route for trucks coming up from Texas and heading to the Northeast US. Tulsa is out of the way. Even though Muskogee and other towns along US-69 have the occasional stop lights and speed traps the level of traffic in Tulsa can be its own slog.

Tulsa is one of the few areas in Oklahoma that is actually adding population. There is a decent amount of growth on Tulsa's South side in places like Jenks and Glenpool. ODOT really needs to get on the ball with improving US-75 to the South of the Creek Turnpike. At grade intersections need to be converted into freeway exits at 131st St, 141st St, 171th St and 181st St. Frontage roads need to be added for access for other at grade intersections. ODOT needs to get to work on that stuff soon before any idiots allow developers to build new stuff right up on the freaking roadway. At the very least they need to start on the frontage roads to block out the ROW for future freeway improvement.

Upgrades along US-75 will get easier South of Glenpool. But Okmulgee will need a new terrain bypass to get any new freeway built through there. I'm not even sure the 2 lane Oklahoma Loop 56 on the East side of Okmulgee has enough ROW width for any sort of freeway upgrade. The footprint looks only big enough for a regular 4 lane divided road with at-grade intersections.

If considered -- and signed as -- a segmented route, the INT/75/44 continuum is longer, considering the 69/INT and Big Cabin I-44 interchange as the end points -- 140 miles vs. 126 -- which means the direct route affords a 10% mileage saving.  Granted, it would not be a simple task to entice drivers away from US 69 onto the longer route; it would likely take (a) a freeway upgrade of the US 75 portion of the corridor and, likely (b) a single number applied to the route -- obviously the long bandied-about I-45 extension, with TX's cooperation.  Were that to be done (and adequately publicized), IMO about 35-40% of the throughput US 69 traffic would shift to the all-free-flow route.  Commercial drivers would be somewhat more likely to remain using US 69, particularly those who use the corridor on a regular basis and are accustomed to the amenities along that route, while a singly-numbered Interstate route on the Texas-Tulsa would attract noncommercial drivers accustomed to (blindly) following Interstates.  And there's always the distinct possibility that the greater variety of amenities in the Tulsa area (vis-a-vis those of Muskogee and elsewhere along the northern portion of the US 69 corridor) would prompt a route shift.  It would be a mixed bag, but if the steps described above were taken, it's likely a significant portion of drivers would select the slightly longer routing.   
 

Plutonic Panda

Major work starts on the 25th. It is the first of five work packages and OkDOT claims this phase will be the most disruptive:

Quote
Major traffic impacts for I-44/US-75 interchange start January 25 in Tulsa
The first round of improvements to the I-44/US-75 interchange will begin Monday, Jan. 25 in Tulsa. This massive $90 million project will greatly impact traffic in the west side of the city over the next two years, and drivers are urged to plan ahead for significant delays to commutes and travel in this area.

Improvements in this project include:
Widening and reconstructing all pavements on I-44 from four lanes to six between the west side of the Arkansas River bridge and Union Avenue.

Replacing five bridges; one at Union Ave. over I-44, two US-75 bridges over I-44 and two US-75 bridges over Mooser Creek (located just south of I-44 junction).

Replacing and slightly reconfiguring all four cloverleaf ramps at the interchange to match geometry of the new elevation of the US-75 bridges over I-44.

Construction of some additional piers; these will be part of future work packages for the interchange.

While I-44 and US-75 will remain open during this project, there will be times that lanes will be narrowed and the corridors may only have one lane open to traffic. There will also be ramp closures at the cloverleaf, along with full closures of Union Ave. over I-44 and on Skelly Dr. at times. Traffic will be slow in all areas of the work zone and drivers are urged to set aside distractions and give their full attention to the road. Alternate routes such as I-244 should be considered, especially during peak travel times.

This is the first of five work packages to improve the I-44/US-75 interchange and the I-44 West End corridor between the Arkansas River and the western I-44/I-244 split in Tulsa. It will have the biggest impact to both I-44 and US-75 traffic out of all the work packages. Those plans for additional work in the corridor are still being developed at this time, and some are not yet funded or scheduled.

- https://oklahoma.gov/odot/citizen/traffic-advisories/2021/major-traffic-impacts-to-i-44-us-75-interchange-start-jan--25-in.html

rte66man

Haven't been up there recently and wondered how the replacement of the bridges over 33rd West Ave is going. I always hated that interchange.
When you come to a fork in the road... TAKE IT.

                                                               -Yogi Berra

okroads

Quote from: rte66man on January 23, 2021, 09:23:22 AM
Haven't been up there recently and wondered how the replacement of the bridges over 33rd West Ave is going. I always hated that interchange.

It looked complete just after Christmas when I was in the area.

DSC01785 by Eric Stuve, on Flickr

Scott5114

Tulsa gets Type A arrows? I'm jealous.

For real. That's a sign, in Oklahoma, that I can find nothing wrong with. How did that happen?
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

Scott5114

I've seen enough garbage signs in Tulsa not to believe that. More likely, the recent signing contractor of choice up there has its shit together. (Mostly. I paged through some of Eric's photostream and there is one interchange in East Tulsa that uses lowercase subscripted ordinals, which would be fine, except it breaks consistency with everything around it. Sigh...)
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

Scott5114

A mismatched ordinal is not a big deal, maybe enough to knock you down from A+ to A.

Oklahoma as a whole is a D student, though.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

BigOkie

I can no longer find a map of the updated interchange anywhere.  If anyone has a good source, it would be appreciated.  Thanks.

bugo

Quote from: BigOkie on April 16, 2021, 03:45:29 PM
I can no longer find a map of the updated interchange anywhere.  If anyone has a good source, it would be appreciated.  Thanks.


Try this.

Plutonic Panda


Bobby5280

Substantial progress has been made with the I-44/US-75 interchange project in Tulsa. I drove through there this past weekend. All the bridge piers for the flyover ramps are erected. There is still a great deal of work left to do with the roadways though. At least this project seems to be moving faster than the I-44/I-235 interchange in Oklahoma City.

The Gilcrease Turnpike connection into the I-44/I-244 interchange also looks like it's near completion. New monotube overhead signs have been installed along I-44. Green patches are covering up the turnpike icons. Some of this stuff is visible in Google Street View imagery (dated 6/2022).

The segment of I-44 between the I-44/I-244 interchange and I-44/US-75 interchange is the last bit in Tulsa that has only 2 lanes in each direction. I can't tell if the new overhead sign structures left any space for additional lanes.

Stephane Dumas

GSV show a view of under the new viaducts who carry US-75 over I-44. https://goo.gl/maps/3w7VD3kt1L6A55Q28

Slightly off-topic did OK DOT once studied the possibility to put bridges to connect the local lanes of Skelly Drive and 51th Street over the Arkansas River to have continuous service roads between US-75 and Riverside Drive?

Bobby5280

I don't know, but one or two bridges to connect Skelly Drive and 51st Street as I-44 service roads on both sides of the Arkansas River would be a good idea. It would be especially good if a pedestrian/bicycle path was included in the design. The nearest Arkansas River bridges to I-44 are 2 miles downstream and 3 miles upstream.

Scott5114

Quote from: Stephane Dumas on August 09, 2022, 04:37:52 PM
Slightly off-topic did OK DOT once studied the possibility to put bridges to connect the local lanes of Skelly Drive and 51th Street over the Arkansas River to have continuous service roads between US-75 and Riverside Drive?

Doubtful–in most other places in Oklahoma, service roads just end any time a lengthy bridge would be required. I think only Texas has that level of obsession with service roads.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

swake

Quote from: Stephane Dumas on August 09, 2022, 04:37:52 PM
GSV show a view of under the new viaducts who carry US-75 over I-44. https://goo.gl/maps/3w7VD3kt1L6A55Q28

Slightly off-topic did OK DOT once studied the possibility to put bridges to connect the local lanes of Skelly Drive and 51th Street over the Arkansas River to have continuous service roads between US-75 and Riverside Drive?

I don't know if they studied that, but the state will be widening the Arkansas bridge from six to eight lanes as part of the interchange project. It's part of the work that starts next summer.

swake

#72
Phase I is now largely complete, the US-75 bridges are done and all lanes are open on I-44.

Phases II and III are scheduled for next fall.

Plutonic Panda

Quote from: swake on November 08, 2022, 02:06:55 PM
Phase I is not largely complete, the US-75 bridges are done and all lanes are open on I-44.

Phases II and III are scheduled for next fall.
Oh how I hate this phased approach on interchanges. I wish they could be properly funded and just do the whole damned thing at once.

CoreySamson

This interchange's temporary configuration has (or at least had) some of the jankiest merges that I've ever seen on a freeway (stop signs on the loop ramps, unclear cone placement, etc.). At least it looks like the finished product will be an excellent cloverstack to drive through. Probably tangentially related, but the new black monotube gantries on I-44 in that area look really nice by Oklahoma's standards.
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