Chickasaw Casino Construction:

[In_Correct]

It looks like three highways going across Red River are going to have their own Casino.

U.S. 377 is finally getting one.

They are beginning the new bridge (a 2 lane, but with 10 foot shoulders, and a higher, sturdier bridge) which is east of the existing one. The Casino is also going to be east of U.S. 377. That means that The Casino is in the path of U.S. 377. U.S. 377 will have to curve back to its original alignment.

But they are doing road work near this casino.

The new dirt path looks like the road is going to be wider, but it does not look like it is wide enough for a 4 lane, with center turn lane, right turn lanes, and shoulders.

U.S. 377 in this area is cement with tarmac shoulders. They are now putting new cement for the entire width. I am curious how this road is going to look like, and when they would expand U.S. 377 beyond that.

It does not look like the road improvements extend beyond The Casino.

I looked at ODOT and could not find any information. Information that I could find has been on unofficial web sites that mention the casino as well as a quick mentioning of "4 Lane U.S. 377" was being planned years ago but nothing recent.

[rte66man]

It looks like three highways going across Red River are going to have their own Casino.

U.S. 377 is finally getting one.

They are beginning the new bridge (a 2 lane, but with 10 foot shoulders, and a higher, sturdier bridge) which is east of the existing one. The Casino is also going to be east of U.S. 377. That means that The Casino is in the path of U.S. 377. U.S. 377 will have to curve back to its original alignment.

But they are doing road work near this casino.

The new dirt path looks like the road is going to be wider, but it does not look like it is wide enough for a 4 lane, with center turn lane, right turn lanes, and shoulders.

U.S. 377 in this area is cement with tarmac shoulders. They are now putting new cement for the entire width. I am curious how this road is going to look like, and when they would expand U.S. 377 beyond that.

It does not look like the road improvements extend beyond The Casino.

I looked at ODOT and could not find any information. Information that I could find has been on unofficial web sites that mention the casino as well as a quick mentioning of "4 Lane U.S. 377" was being planned years ago but nothing recent.

Long obsolete, the US377 Willis Bridge across Lake Texoma will be replaced with a wider, higher bridge immediately to the east of the existing structure.  I'll look up the link later, but IIRC it will have 12' lanes with 10' shoulders. Fewer piers in the main channel with better navigation markers on the piers.  I've not seen any plans to widen 377 but if the Chickasaws are building another casino, I'll bet ODOT is seriously looking into it. Hopefully they can do a deal like the one they did to widen 35 from the Red River to Exit 3.

[Bobby5280]

If they build this new US-377 crossing as a 2 lane bridge I hope they at least acquire enough ROW to add a second bridge and another pair of lanes. The pace of developmental growth North of the DFW metro shows no signs of stopping. I was reading about the high amounts of out-migration from extreme cost of living places like SoCal, the Bay Area or NYC (lots of young adults leaving in droves). Many of those making the move are going to big metros in Texas. The traffic burden for US-377 is only going to swell. And a nice new casino just across the river will add to that traffic burden.

[In_Correct]

They are not going to keep the old bridge at all. The new bridge construction is east, and too close to the new Casino. They say they are going to demolish the old bridge and place it in the river for habitats. If they remove the debris and put it some where else, then they can use the existing R.O.W. for a second bridge.

That will make it similar to U.S. 177 over Canadian River: Widen the bridge first. That is an improvement compared to when they widened The Unfinished Corridor over The Red River.

They are also going to build a second casino where a lodge was once. This would take Casino Lovers From Texas up to U.S. 70.

In some places it looks like R.O.W. is preserved on U.S. 377. In other places it looks average but there is nothing there. In some places there are a few buildings but not much development ... yet.

In Gainesville they have been building McTowers. Small Sky Scraper after Small Sky Scraper. Some of them are Apartments. Others are Hotels. It is nice to see Construction Workers building yet another new Small Sky Scraper.

I think the next one they are after is Marriott? 

And even if the are not Hotels, they are huge establishments such as Truck Stops and Travel Centers.

Both Hotels and Truck Stops / Travel Centers are the result of a nearby Casino.

And even if this new Casino is not nearly as big as Win Star, it will attract traffic, development, and even the Casinos them selves expand rapidly.

This is going to impact not only U.S. 377, but also U.S. 82 ... even if U.S. 82 is all ready 4 lane.

[Bobby5280]

US-82 between Gainesville and Sherman needs to be brought up to full Interstate quality standards. And the "I-quality" needs to extend a good bit West and East of those two cities. Maybe as far as Henrietta and Paris or even Texarkana for the Eastern part.

[DJStephens]

   If they were smart, a full diamond interchange would be built directly in front of the casino.  With a four lane cross section extending in both directions for perhaps at least a half mile.   And of course acquire ROW for full four lane expressway in both directions farther out, and towards the bridge.   Full build out.  Without having to go in again and re-do it.   

[In_Correct]

Both locations have enough room for at least a narrow diamond interchange. Frontage roads would be needed. As for expressway conversion, U.S. 70 is widened but undivided road in that area, but would need the Texoma Turnpike to be finished to bypass Kingston and Madill.

U.S. 377's Casino is immediately north of the Red River, Willis Bridge, and one street and a cemetery in between. The Casino is immediately south of Willis, Oklahoma. There is enough room for again a center turn lane with passing lanes, right turn lanes and shoulders. To accommodate local traffic, it might need to be 3 main lanes in each direction. There is a small amount of more room available west of U.S. 377. The other space (and the divided expressway) would have to bypass Willis.

Be cause these casinos are built close to the highways (and with U.S. 377's Casino, very close to the highway) the Interchange with the Half A Mile Divided Street would have to be about half a mile away from the casino itself. But it would be useful for future Casino expansions, which always happen.

But If They Were Smart, they would have finished U.S. 377 entirely from Interstate 44 to Denton so it would be ready for these new Casinos. Every body knew about the plans for these Casinos years ago. Despite having very small towns along U.S. 377, The Chickasaw Nation is also scattered along U.S. 377 and will build Casinos that increases traffic, attracts other travel facilities, and eventually population growth.

[rte66man]

U.S. 377's Casino is immediately north of the Red River, Willis Bridge, and one street and a cemetery in between. The Casino is immediately south of Willis, Oklahoma. There is enough room for again a center turn lane with passing lanes, right turn lanes and shoulders. To accommodate local traffic, it might need to be 3 main lanes in each direction.

This casino won't generate enough traffic to warrant 3 lanes in each direction.  Besides, I doubt the Chickasaws will pony up for that much extra capacity.

But If They Were Smart, they would have finished U.S. 377 entirely from Interstate 44 to Denton so it would be ready for these new Casinos. Every body knew about the plans for these Casinos years ago.

It's hard to know where to start with that statement.  Funds are finite. Completing US377 from Stroud south to Texoma would be nice, but it will not happen in our lifetimes.  Too many other higher priorities for limited funds.

[In_Correct]

Project Tracker has a few vague projects for U.S. 377.

"Construct New Road" for south Denton County.
"Widen Road Add Lanes" for north Denton County.
"Construct Super 2" for north Grayson County.

I don't know how to read the year they begin, but I am going to guess 10 years from now.

[edwaleni]

It looks like three highways going across Red River are going to have their own Casino.

U.S. 377 is finally getting one.

They are beginning the new bridge (a 2 lane, but with 10 foot shoulders, and a higher, sturdier bridge) which is east of the existing one. The Casino is also going to be east of U.S. 377. That means that The Casino is in the path of U.S. 377. U.S. 377 will have to curve back to its original alignment.

But they are doing road work near this casino.

The new dirt path looks like the road is going to be wider, but it does not look like it is wide enough for a 4 lane, with center turn lane, right turn lanes, and shoulders.

U.S. 377 in this area is cement with tarmac shoulders. They are now putting new cement for the entire width. I am curious how this road is going to look like, and when they would expand U.S. 377 beyond that.

It does not look like the road improvements extend beyond The Casino.

I looked at ODOT and could not find any information. Information that I could find has been on unofficial web sites that mention the casino as well as a quick mentioning of "4 Lane U.S. 377" was being planned years ago but nothing recent.

Long obsolete, the US377 Willis Bridge across Lake Texoma will be replaced with a wider, higher bridge immediately to the east of the existing structure.  I'll look up the link later, but IIRC it will have 12' lanes with 10' shoulders. Fewer piers in the main channel with better navigation markers on the piers.  I've not seen any plans to widen 377 but if the Chickasaws are building another casino, I'll bet ODOT is seriously looking into it. Hopefully they can do a deal like the one they did to widen 35 from the Red River to Exit 3.

Bridgehunter says it is scheduled for replacement this year.

Overview
Steel stringer bridge over Lake Texoma on US 377
Location
Grayson County, Texas, and Marshall County, Oklahoma
Status
Open to traffic
Future prospects
Scheduled for replacement 2019
History
Built 1960
Design
Steel stringer
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 200.1 ft.
Total length: 5,426.1 ft. (1.0 mi.)
Deck width: 27.6 ft.
Also called
Willis Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+33.86253, -96.83301   (decimal degrees)
33°51'45" N, 96°49'59" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
14/700456/3749026 (zone/easting/northing)
Average daily traffic (as of 2013)
2,680
Inventory numbers
TXNBI 010920008110194 (Texas bridge number on the National Bridge Inventory)
OKNBI 152130000000000 (Oklahoma bridge number on the National Bridge Inventory)
BH 83377 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Inspection report (as of June 2017)
Overall condition: Fair
Superstructure condition rating: Satisfactory (6 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Deck condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Sufficiency rating: 54 (out of 100)

[Bobby5280]

This casino won't generate enough traffic to warrant 3 lanes in each direction.  Besides, I doubt the Chickasaws will pony up for that much extra capacity.

How big is this casino going to be? Will it have a decent sized hotel? I think if the tribe builds the casino big enough and nice enough it will be a decent alternative to the other larger casinos on I-35 and US-69/75.

For the past several years our regional sign industry association has held its annual convention at Downstream Casino Resort-Hotel outside Joplin. We previously held it at the Hard Rock Casino-Hotel outside Tulsa. The Quapaw Nation did a good job with Downstream Casino. It's not the biggest casino by any stretch, but it's nice. I like the rooms there.

[In_Correct]

The U.S. 70 casino in eastern Marshall County is going to be a medium sized casino and hotel and event center. The travel center and gas station is already built.

The U.S. 377 casino is going to be even smaller. No where as big as Win Star, but more like Border Casino which has a Casino, a Chickasaw Travel Stop, and a Conoco or Phillips 66. More than likely it is going to have a Chickasaw Travel Stop on both sides of U.S. 377 which is going to be a big problem for future highway expansion. I do not know about when hotels and event centers would be added to the U.S. 377 Casino. Any other hotels and truck stops would occur if tourists want to go to the casino but they do not want to stay in the Casino Hotels be cause of cost concerns or be cause the Casino's Hotel is sold out.

My suggestion to add 3 main lanes in each direction is to serve Casino traffic as well as Willis, Oklahoma so people would not have to stop for local traffic. The lanes would go back to my suggestion of two lanes in each direction north of Willis. Another option would be to reduce the speed limit and perhaps install traffic lights.

The new bridge construction supplies and equipment are at the construction site. But the bridge will not be finished this year.

[Scott5114]

The casino on US-377 will be called Megastar Casino. I don't believe it will have a hotel. My understanding is that it will be similar in size and layout to its sister properties on US-81: Riverstar in Terral and Saltcreek in Pocasset.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Chickasaw Nation is chipping in on the infrastructure near its new facilities, as it has done so in the past; it helped fund the I-35/SH-9 West interchange reconstruction prior to Riverwind's construction in 2006, and paid for upgrades to the town of Goldsby's water systems to support the casino. I don't have any specific knowledge that they have done so with these projects in particular, though.

[rte66man]

The casino on US-377 will be called Megastar Casino. I don't believe it will have a hotel. My understanding is that it will be similar in size and layout to its sister properties on US-81: Riverstar in Terral and Saltcreek in Pocasset.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Chickasaw Nation is chipping in on the infrastructure near its new facilities, as it has done so in the past; it helped fund the I-35/SH-9 West interchange reconstruction prior to Riverwind's construction in 2006, and paid for upgrades to the town of Goldsby's water systems to support the casino. I don't have any specific knowledge that they have done so with these projects in particular, though.

They are chipping in on the widening of I35 from the Red River to Exit 3. 

[rte66man]

The new bridge construction supplies and equipment are at the construction site. But the bridge will not be finished this year.

It is scheduled for 780 days. The WO was effective 5/6 so it will be 2021 before it is finished.

[In_Correct]

The Mega Star Casino is open. It has a Travel Center also, with NON Ethanol available, and are open 24 hours. This is very impressive. Hopefully there will be expansion eventually, but it will not be as massive as Win Star. Most of Mega Star casino is a very large Parking Lot.

The only lanes they added is a left turn lane and a right turn lane. This is not much different than the U.S. 377 road junctions in Texas except that this one is made of Cement.

The New Willis Bridge has cranes installing very tall Things in the water. These can not possibly be piers. The new bridge is supposed to be taller, but not that tall.

[dfwmapper]

The New Willis Bridge has cranes installing very tall Things in the water. These can not possibly be piers. The new bridge is supposed to be taller, but not that tall.

ODOT's press release said the new bridge will be up to 80' from the water level to the top of the deck. The NBI data (from bridgereports.com) says the existing span has a max clearance of 8m/26.2', and that looks reasonable right based on the GSV images from the Juniper Point boat launch. Figure with the beams and deck and the height of your car that your eye line is maybe 36' above the water, and that would mean the tallest piers are going to be twice that. How tall was "very tall"?

[Road Hog]

80 feet of clearance seems a bit much for a non-navigable body of water. Unless the Corps of Engineers has some plan I'm not aware of.

[dfwmapper]

It's 80' to the top of the deck, not 80' of clearance. I wasn't able to find anything that indicates the clearance on the new bridge, just that they wanted more since the current bridge restricts tall boats from passing under. I don't know if ODOT posts their plans online or not, but maybe someone who is more familiar might be able to find the details.

[rte66man]

It's 80' to the top of the deck, not 80' of clearance. I wasn't able to find anything that indicates the clearance on the new bridge, just that they wanted more since the current bridge restricts tall boats from passing under. I don't know if ODOT posts their plans online or not, but maybe someone who is more familiar might be able to find the details.

They post all plans online, however there is no "search" function so you have to get the JP number then work through each month one at a time. I looked this up a while back. Let me see if I still have the link.

[dfwmapper]

Found it. http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/contracts/a2018/plans1810/260_1810_STP-248C(036)PM_2882804/000%20FULL%20FILE.pdf (warning: 50MB PDF).

Looks like the top of the highest cap on the piers will be elev 657.44, and normal pool for Texoma is 617'. The bottom of the beams in the middle of the spans of the current bridge is 645' and the deck is about 655'. So, the piers will end up just a bit higher than the current deck. The new bridge will have about 12' more clearance and the deck will be about 12' higher up. The 80' ODOT listed only makes sense if it's relative to the inactive pool level of 590', and if the lake gets that low, we're all in trouble.

[Bobby5280]

The Mega Star Casino is open. It has a Travel Center also, with NON Ethanol available, and are open 24 hours. This is very impressive.

The thing I find impressive is how fast the construction company built the new casino and travel center. Looking at Google Street View imagery from last October (2018), it didn't look like anything more than grading and some foundation work had been completed. Google Earth overhead imagery, dated 11/26/18, shows a bunch of steel frame work for the building getting installed.

As fast as the building went up, I hope the construction company didn't rush things concerning the grading and foundation. There is a LOT of unstable, red clay soil all through that area.

[motorola870]

The casino on US-377 will be called Megastar Casino. I don't believe it will have a hotel. My understanding is that it will be similar in size and layout to its sister properties on US-81: Riverstar in Terral and Saltcreek in Pocasset.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Chickasaw Nation is chipping in on the infrastructure near its new facilities, as it has done so in the past; it helped fund the I-35/SH-9 West interchange reconstruction prior to Riverwind's construction in 2006, and paid for upgrades to the town of Goldsby's water systems to support the casino. I don't have any specific knowledge that they have done so with these projects in particular, though.

They are chipping in on the widening of I35 from the Red River to Exit 3.

The whole plan has 35 being widened with the southbound bridge becoming a service road between Texas and Thackerville reconnecting it to the old US77 stub that ends as it use to be the US77 river crossing before they build the north bound lanes. They are going to build a new southbound bridge in the ROW for the current Northbound bridge and a new northbound bridge will be built to the east of the current north bound bridge.

[In_Correct]

The casino on US-377 will be called Megastar Casino. I don't believe it will have a hotel. My understanding is that it will be similar in size and layout to its sister properties on US-81: Riverstar in Terral and Saltcreek in Pocasset.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Chickasaw Nation is chipping in on the infrastructure near its new facilities, as it has done so in the past; it helped fund the I-35/SH-9 West interchange reconstruction prior to Riverwind's construction in 2006, and paid for upgrades to the town of Goldsby's water systems to support the casino. I don't have any specific knowledge that they have done so with these projects in particular, though.

They are chipping in on the widening of I35 from the Red River to Exit 3.

The whole plan has 35 being widened with the southbound bridge becoming a service road between Texas and Thackerville reconnecting it to the old US77 stub that ends as it use to be the US77 river crossing before they build the north bound lanes. They are going to build a new southbound bridge in the ROW for the current Northbound bridge and a new northbound bridge will be built to the east of the current north bound bridge.

That could mean two things:

TX DOT had mentioned leaving a bridge in place as a "Frontage Road Bridge". But U.S. 77 is parallel to Interstate 35, and will go over Red River and into Texas. It will be so close to Interstate 35, it will look like a southbound frontage road with a missing northbound frontage road and missing northbound frontage road bridge. I always thought they would eventually extend the Frontage Roads to Oklahoma, making the entire Frontage Road system One Way until reaching U.S. 77 in Oklahoma. But since U.S. 77 is running parallel to Interstate 35, if Oklahoma were to widen U.S. 77 to 4 lane undivided, it would intersect a Two Way frontage road system in Texas. The moment the Frontage Roads become one way, U.S. 77 must join Interstate 35 or F.M. 372.


The other comment is about the new bridges. With these new bridges, perhaps the curve will not be sharp any more.