Also expect an upgrade to the US69 interchange, as he said the current interchange will most likely not meet new traffic requirements. (He said redesign, so maybe we get Flyovers?) Overall, this will be a fairly easy upgrade from ODOT's end, with the only trouble spots being the Flint Creek area and West Siloam Springs. I was also told that the redesigned interchange at US-412 and US-69 will have a future I-45 extension in mind.
I'm all for upgrading US-69 to Interstate standards from the Red River up to Big Cabin & I-44. But the existing US-69/US-412 interchange is in a bad spot for a possible I-45 extension. There is too much development immediately to the North of the interchange along US-69 going up thru Chouteau. A new-terrain bypass around Chouteau, including a new US-69/US-412 interchange, will be necessary.
And in Oklahoma you have a better chance of the state requiring CRT education for all students than for the north leg of the IDL to be removed.
The South and East sides of the IDL were re-built recently. So they're not getting torn out any time soon. And I see zero practical way at all for I-244 to be removed on the West and North sides of the IDL.
That spot isn't Rochester, NY. That location happens to be a pretty significant highway junction. Downtown Tulsa just happens to be in the middle of it. There are serious generators of vehicle traffic inside the IDL (BOK Center, ONE OK Field, Cains Ballroom, Cox Convention Center, OK State Univ Med Center, various hotels, the arts district, etc). Converting the super highways that converge on downtown Tulsa into at-grade boulevards with lots of traffic lights would be extremely stupid. The new urbanists have fantasies that people like me would visit Tulsa by driving up to the outskirts, parking clear out in Sapulpa and then taking a light rail train the rest of the way into downtown. No. If it's that much of a pain in the ass to visit I won't come there at all.
As I've said before, these new urbanist types don't practice what they preach. These policy makers will tell all us ordinary folks we need to take mass transit. After their speech their private car service takes them wherever they need to go. Hypocrites. There is no glamour in riding a city bus. A bus system is about all a small to mid-size city can afford. There are plenty of downsides to riding subways or light rail trains too.