OK Turnpike Speed Limits

[rte66man]

Didn't want to exhume an old thread so I started a new one.

https://kfor.com/news/local/speed-limits-to-possibly-increase-on-rural-turnpikes-interstates-in-oklahoma-following-extensive-studies/

Speed limits to possibly increase on rural turnpikes, interstates in Oklahoma following extensive studies

by: K. Butcher

Posted: Jul 27, 2020 / 12:22 PM CDT / Updated: Jul 27, 2020 / 12:23 PM CDT
OKLAHOMA (KFOR) — According to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, maximum speed limits on sections of rural interstates and turnpikes are due for a tune-up following extensive studies.

The recent passage of HB 1071 set the stage for statewide studies on potential maximum speed limit increases of 75 mph on rural interstates and 80 mph on rural turnpikes. Existing maximum speed limits in larger urban areas will not change but could be considered in the future.

ODOT and OTA evaluated several safety factors including roadway geometry, sight distance, collision history, traffic flows and existing speed patterns to determine eligible locations. Discussions with safety and law enforcement partners were also key to the decision making process and will be ongoing.

"We appreciate that our legislators recognized safety concerns needed to be forefront in this process,"  Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz said. "Any increase in speed limits on interstates or highways must be carefully considered to ensure safety, and it's not just a one-size-fits-all approach. Rep. Daniel Pae's thoughtfulness and diligence helped the agencies develop a comprehensive plan for a statewide implementation."

Because ODOT and OTA are separate agencies, each of their respective transportation authority bodies will consider approval on the proposed locations. The OTA board hears recommendations at their regular meeting on July 28, and the Oklahoma Transportation Commission will consider ODOT's proposed locations on August 3 at its regular meeting.

"I appreciate ODOT and OTA thoughtfully evaluating this issue and performing the engineering studies to make sure these changes are done safely, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol's commitment to ensuring the speed limits are properly enforced."   Rep. Daniel Pae said. "I'm very pleased that HB 1071 got the discussion started on modernizing Oklahoma's rural interstate and turnpike speed limits to bring them into consistency with our neighboring states and existing patterns."

If approved, the old posted speed limits will remain in place until the signs are changed. The new signs will need to be manufactured and installed in the corridors, which could take several months or more to complete.

"The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and local law enforcement will strictly enforce speed limits to make sure everyone is being safe,"  OHP Lieutenant Chris Arnall said. "Drivers must ensure they're driving at a speed that is reasonable and proper for the conditions. The higher the speed violation, the lower our tolerance for those who break the speed limit."

ODOT and OTA will closely monitor the changes in the corridors and if the new speed limits create an unsafe situation, then adjustments could be made for the safety of the traveling public. Again, while there are no changes for the larger urban areas of the state at this time, they could be considered in the future. Details on approved locations will be announced following the respective meetings for each agency.

[kphoger]

80 mph + grassy median with no shoulder = bad idea

[okroads]

80 mph + grassy median with no shoulder = bad idea

The few sections of turnpike that will soon be 80 mph are not those type. The northernmost section of the Indian Nation Turnpike (between OK 9 & I-40) changed from no shoulder and raised grass median to a paved, with cable barrier, median less than ten years ago. And the section of the Turner Turnpike which will be increased to 80 was recently widened to six lanes.

[okroads]

The proposal was approved this morning and will apply to the following sections of turnpike:

- Turner Turnpike from mile marker (MM) 203 to MM 216, between Bristow and Sapulpa, 13 miles
- Muskogee Turnpike from MM 2 to MM 33, between Muskogee and Tulsa, 31 miles
- Cherokee Turnpike from MM 3 to MM 28, 25 miles
- Indian Nation Turnpike from MM 93 to MM 104, between SH-9 and I-40, 11 miles
- H.E. Bailey Turnpike (Norman Spur) from MM 102 to MM 107, 5 miles
- Kickapoo Turnpike (scheduled to open later this year) from MM 130 to MM 149, between I-40 and the Turner Turnpike, 19 miles

[sprjus4]

As more and more segments of Turnpike are modernized and replacing raised grass medians with guardrail, more segments should be increased from 75 mph to 80 mph in the future.

[Bobby5280]

80 mph + grassy median with no shoulder = bad idea

None of I-44 in Oklahoma is like that anymore, thank God. Concrete Jersey barriers are in place from Fort Sill on up to the Missouri State line (with exceptions where I-44 is "free" in urban areas). A cable barrier divides I-44 South of Lawton to the Randlett exit at US-70. I-44 from US-70 down to the Red River was mostly re-built (new concrete road decks). A very lousy sign package from ODOT was installed.

The other rural turnpikes still have stretches those narrow grassy medians and no inner shoulder. The Cimarron Turnpike still has a couple or so stretches where they have yet to replace the grassy bumps with concrete and install cable barriers. The Muskogee Turnpike South of Muskogee still has the old grassy median setup. The Cherokee Turnpike has a grassy median, but it's wider than the ones on the older turnpikes. The Indian Nation Turnpike needs the most work on its medians. The improvements made from I-40 down to just South of the OK-9 exit is just a small overall part of that turnpike.

H.E. Bailey Turnpike (Norman Spur) from MM 102 to MM 107, 5 miles

Do you mean the Norman Spur of the H.E. Bailey Turnpike will be signed at 80mph? Or will I-44 be signed at 80mph from that cloverleaf interchange up to I-44 Exit 107 at US-62/277? The latter would make sense since the road deck was all recently re-built. But the Norman Spur is not very busy; so it would be easy to see that being worthy of a 80mph limit.

[sprjus4]

Do you mean the Norman Spur of the H.E. Bailey Turnpike will be signed at 80mph? Or will I-44 be signed at 80mph from that cloverleaf interchange up to I-44 Exit 107 at US-62/277? The latter would make sense since the road deck was all recently re-built. But the Norman Spur is not very busy; so it would be easy to see that being worthy of a 80mph limit.

It's referring to the Norman Spur, not I-44 / H.E. Bailey Turnpike.

Full map of the increases. Segments in yellow are to increase from 75 mph to 80 mph. Overall, seems to be spread far and few between. Hopefully in the future, as more segments are brought to modern standards, most of the system can all increase as well.

Select rural interstates are to be increased from 70 mph to 75 mph as well, and hopefully those will also be a significant amount of the mileage in the state. I believe I-40 and I-35 had some candidate segments.


https://htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/files/speed-map-1595955006.pdf

[Scott5114]

The H.E. Bailey Turnpike Spur is now posted at 80.

[Roadgeekteen]

Do you mean the Norman Spur of the H.E. Bailey Turnpike will be signed at 80mph? Or will I-44 be signed at 80mph from that cloverleaf interchange up to I-44 Exit 107 at US-62/277? The latter would make sense since the road deck was all recently re-built. But the Norman Spur is not very busy; so it would be easy to see that being worthy of a 80mph limit.

It's referring to the Norman Spur, not I-44 / H.E. Bailey Turnpike.

Full map of the increases. Segments in yellow are to increase from 75 mph to 80 mph. Overall, seems to be spread far and few between. Hopefully in the future, as more segments are brought to modern standards, most of the system can all increase as well.

Select rural interstates are to be increased from 70 mph to 75 mph as well, and hopefully those will also be a significant amount of the mileage in the state. I believe I-40 and I-35 had some candidate segments.


https://htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/files/speed-map-1595955006.pdf

That's very few... Why not more of the Indian Nation or any of the Cimarron?

[sprjus4]

Most aren't up to modern standards, they have raised grassed medians as opposed to paved and barrier.

[Roadgeekteen]

Most aren't up to modern standards, they have raised grassed medians as opposed to paved and barrier.

Is 80 not safe with grass medians?

[US 89]

Most aren't up to modern standards, they have raised grassed medians as opposed to paved and barrier.

There is also no inside shoulder on most/all of those segments.

[Scott5114]

Does this look safe at 80?

[sprjus4]

Does this look safe at 80?

It's apparently safe at 75 mph.

[hotdogPi]

Perfectly flat, straight roads are safe at 120. (Too bad agentsteel53 doesn't post here anymore.)

[SectorZ]

Does this look safe at 80?

It's apparently safe at 75 mph.

That looks like every picture of a brand spankin' new freeway built in the 1940's. At least they used those toll dollars to modernize it...

[Ketchup99]

Does this look safe at 80?

Yes, stay on the road, it's not hard. Maybe it'll force drivers to pay attention and not to drift.

[kphoger]

Does this look safe at 80?

It's apparently safe at 75 mph.

And, when I'm passing a trucker in the left lane of a highway like that at 75 mph, I definitely don't feel safe.

But why can't something like this be 80 mph?

[Scott5114]

The only justification I can imagine for that would be traffic volumes. But they made a section of the Turner 80 MPH.

Can't say it has anything to do with the geometric design, either, since they gave a section of the Indian Nation that has cable barriers the bump to 80.

Just OTA being OTA, I guess.

Does this look safe at 80?

Yes, stay on the road, it's not hard. Maybe it'll force drivers to pay attention and not to drift.

You may want to revisit this post after you've been driving for a few years.

[kphoger]

Does this look safe at 80?

Yes, stay on the road, it's not hard. Maybe it'll force drivers to pay attention and not to drift.

You may want to revisit this post after you've been driving for a few years.

It's not so much my car drifting that I'm worried about in situations like that.  It's the trucker next to me pulling a double trailer with a stiff cross-wind.  Or the lady next to me texting on her cell phone.  Or the dad next to me getting on his kids for misbehaving in the back seat.  If that vehicle drifts over into my lane, there's nowhere for me to go to avoid it except the grassy mound.

[Scott5114]

And with the way the median is arched, suddenly you're re-enacting Evel Knievel stunts. Except the difference is that he gets paid to do it, and you had to pay OTA $7 for the experience.

[kphoger]

I did once have a highway patrol officer flip a U-turn across the grassy hump of US-412 to pull me over for speeding (6 mph over the limit).

[rte66man]

Most aren't up to modern standards, they have raised grassed medians as opposed to paved and barrier.

There is absolutely no logic to how OTA decided.  If they didn't want to raise limits on roads that aren't up to modern standards then why raise them on the Cherokee or the Muskogee. The Bailey from Newcastle to the Spur is as modern as it gets.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Watching it live from BigRigTravels, the OTA are doing some work in the median along some sections that still has a grassy median on the Cimarron Turnpike to put in some cable-median barrier and rumble strips like the other upgraded sections along that said turnpike... maybe, just maybe, they then will decide to raise the speed limit to 80 mph on that section! 

[rte66man]

Watching it live from BigRigTravels, the OTA are doing some work in the median along some sections that still has a grassy median on the Cimarron Turnpike to put in some cable-median barrier and rumble strips like the other upgraded sections along that said turnpike... maybe, just maybe, they then will decide to raise the speed limit to 80 mph on that section! 

They are doing that as a part of the pavement rehabilitation. Large sections of the concrete have outlived their useful life (approaching 45+ years).