I-35 in Southern Oklahoma

[rte66man]

From the September 2022 ODOT Commission members packet:

Multiple Counties — Districts III and VIl (CI-2379)

The Department has selected EST. Inc. to provide preliminary engineering for I-35: from Ladd Road to Mile Marker 7. Services to include preliminary engineering studies.

CI-2379 EST, Inc.
Total Not to Exceed Amount $2,000,000.00

I would hope this is the beginning of planning to 6-lane I-35 completely from OKC to the Red River.

[rte66man]

Marietta seems like a random place to end the widening.  Logically it should continue up to the northern US-70 interchange in Ardmore, but I guess, monies?

I just checked AADTs, and I agree.  There's no drop-off at Marietta.  In fact, if anything, the section between Thackerville and Marietta needs widening the least, but even that difference is very slim.

In the long-range planning OK-32 from Kingston to Marietta, not US-70 from Kingston to Ardmore is the focus of the lake region traffic.

For traffic from the north, that makes no sense.  From the south, US-82 to US-377 is the better alternative.  OK-32 has many dog legs to iron out, in addition to being 2-lane; not sure why money would be spent on it at all.  But, hey, it's Oklahoma.

I use OK 32 quite a bit to get from Megastar to Winstar casino, and then I use it to go from Winstar to Riverstar casino on US 81. As I've said before in a previous post we need a good east - west turnpike in this area that could go from I-44 to I-35 and possibly all the way to Durant and even the Indian Nation turnpike via mostly OK 32. I think it would really get used. Texans are always debating on other casinos groups about which casino they should visit this weekend ( Choctaw Durant or Winstar) , and I always say "why not both".

At the very least, making US 70 an expressway between Ardmore and Durant should be a priority, along with twinning the span over Lake Texoma.  Extending a US 70 bypass from the Exit 29 interchange to west of Lone Grove makes sense as well, since that area is filling in with local traffic.

Madill bypass and the start of replacing the Roosevelt Bridge are all on the 8-Year Plan.

They have been on the 8 Year Plan for 16 years.

Uhh, no. They were added 2 years ago. They were not in the FFY2020-FFY2027 plan

[Scott5114]

From the September 2022 ODOT Commission members packet:

Multiple Counties — Districts III and VIl (CI-2379)

The Department has selected EST. Inc. to provide preliminary engineering for I-35: from Ladd Road to Mile Marker 7. Services to include preliminary engineering studies.

CI-2379 EST, Inc.
Total Not to Exceed Amount $2,000,000.00

I would hope this is the beginning of planning to 6-lane I-35 completely from OKC to the Red River.

Holy shit, that's a distance of 94 miles. Just what sort of engineering are they expecting to get for $21,000 a mile?

[rte66man]

From the September 2022 ODOT Commission members packet:

Multiple Counties — Districts III and VIl (CI-2379)

The Department has selected EST. Inc. to provide preliminary engineering for I-35: from Ladd Road to Mile Marker 7. Services to include preliminary engineering studies.

CI-2379 EST, Inc.
Total Not to Exceed Amount $2,000,000.00

I would hope this is the beginning of planning to 6-lane I-35 completely from OKC to the Red River.

Holy shit, that's a distance of 94 miles. Just what sort of engineering are they expecting to get for $21,000 a mile?

I think the key word is "preliminary". Sort of a 30,000 ft overview to allow them to focus in on the next round.

[Plutonic Panda]

Update from Tulsa world: https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/oklahoma-transportation-officials-eye-widening-i-35/article_6086a4b0-50d3-11ee-89e1-8bf63ebc16a0.html

[rte66man]

https://blanton.events/ODOT_I-35_LoveCo_vpm/

Virtual open house for the Love County improvements (closed yesterday but still has posted material)

[Plutonic Panda]

In the February commission meeting ODOT brought up improvements to I-35 from the Canadian to the Red River which includes widening it to 6 lanes.

In addition, commissioners approved an engineering contract to begin preparations on expanding I-35 in McClain County from four lanes to six from Johnson Rd. north two miles. A final report on how to address the corridor expansion from the Red River north to the Oklahoma River is still underway and with it will come an interactive dashboard for motorists that will map out critical corridor needs and solutions.

- https://oklahoma.gov/odot/citizen/newsroom/2024/february-commission-meeting-wrap-up-several-projects-underway-on.html

[Plutonic Panda]

Another six lane widening project is on the June Commission meeting:

The commission will vote on whether to award several contracts, among them a project to continue I-35 expansion to six lanes with an interchange reconstruction at I-35/SH-153 in Thackerville, Love County

- https://oklahoma.gov/odot/citizen/newsroom/2024/june-transportation-commission-meeting-scheduled-for-monday--jun.html

[Plutonic Panda]

Don't forget a widening with a joint venture from TxDOT to expand I35 to 8 lanes from the Red River Bridge to MM 1 in Oklahoma should be begin soon as well.

[Plutonic Panda]

Another segment will be widened along with an interchange replacement at SH-153:

Commissioners approved a project to continue I-35 expansion to six lanes with an interchange reconstruction at SH-153 near Thackerville in Love County. This $40 million project picks up at mile marker 3, where six lanes were just completed, and extends north two miles to SH-153. This project is one of many programmed along the I-35 corridor between Oklahoma City and the Texas state line.

- https://oklahoma.gov/odot/citizen/newsroom/2024/june-commission-meeting-wrap-up--odot-preliminary-budget-discuss.html