Work has begun on widening I-44 between Riverside and Yale.
Does anybody know when work will begin on Yale to Sheridan segment? Strange, this stretch (Yale to BA) has highest traffic counts, yet its the absolutely last section in the city to be widened.
All I can say is thank goodness.
Is Tulsa congested during rushhour? It seems to have quite an extensive freeway/tollway network.
I-44 in Tulsa is a pain at any time of day! Only two narrow lanes with lots of curves spells lots of congestion and hair-raising moments... it's a very outdated freeway. If I could scrounge up enough cash to bypass Tulsa via the Creek Turnpike, I'd always do it!
Good thing I didn't drive it yet... I mainly used I-244 while I was in Tulsa in 2002. (of course that means I still have some clinching to do.(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ssoworld.com%2Fsmilies%2Fdoh.gif&hash=5f0c9b854863450822d2a262dfbaf076e3ad961b) )
IMO, Tulsa is not very congested during rush hours compared to most cities. I-44 has 2 substandard 4 lane segments (original construction from the 1950's) which are congested and where chuncks of concrete from the bridges/overpasses periodically fall on the streets below (sometimes a whole forms a hole all the way thru the bridge deck!). These are Riverside to OK 51 (reconstruction now underway) and I-244 merge to US 412/OK66 interchange in Catoosa area which is also scheduled for widening soon. The Catoosa segment has gotten much more congested recently due to nearby casino which is expanding and being rebranded into a Hard Rock Casino/hotel/restaurant/resort.
OK 51 and US 169 are probably the busiest commuter routes but move well except at substandard cloverleaf interchanges (OK51/I-44 and OK51/US169) where backups occur every rush hour. OK 51 has recently been expanded to 8 lanes well out into Broken Arrow. US 169 is 6 lane from I-244 south to Creek Turnpike.
I was looking at the aerial view on Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tulsa,+ok&sll=46.187437,-123.137512&sspn=1.2968,2.82074&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=36.173599,-95.737181&spn=0.023626,0.044074&z=15&layer=c&cbll=36.177105,-95.739985&panoid=iRgXrHQV0VnnVZQG183ykw&cbp=12,59.4068584102908,,0,3.24732229795521 (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tulsa,+ok&sll=46.187437,-123.137512&sspn=1.2968,2.82074&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=36.173599,-95.737181&spn=0.023626,0.044074&z=15&layer=c&cbll=36.177105,-95.739985&panoid=iRgXrHQV0VnnVZQG183ykw&cbp=12,59.4068584102908,,0,3.24732229795521)) and saw an apparently abandoned stretch of highway between the Will Rogers Turnpike and Historic Route 66.
Is this an earlier alignment of the Will Rogers, say before the Creek Turnpike was built?
Quote from: mightyace on March 12, 2009, 07:58:21 PM
I was looking at the aerial view on Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tulsa,+ok&sll=46.187437,-123.137512&sspn=1.2968,2.82074&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=36.173599,-95.737181&spn=0.023626,0.044074&z=15&layer=c&cbll=36.177105,-95.739985&panoid=iRgXrHQV0VnnVZQG183ykw&cbp=12,59.4068584102908,,0,3.24732229795521 (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tulsa,+ok&sll=46.187437,-123.137512&sspn=1.2968,2.82074&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=36.173599,-95.737181&spn=0.023626,0.044074&z=15&layer=c&cbll=36.177105,-95.739985&panoid=iRgXrHQV0VnnVZQG183ykw&cbp=12,59.4068584102908,,0,3.24732229795521)) and saw an apparently abandoned stretch of highway between the Will Rogers Turnpike and Historic Route 66.
Is this an earlier alignment of the Will Rogers, say before the Creek Turnpike was built?
That is exactly what it is. The Creek Turnpike in that section was finished around 2002, and I-44 was rerouted along U.S. 412 for an extra mile east to the Creek.
Quote from: okroads on March 12, 2009, 09:34:19 PM
That is exactly what it is. The Creek Turnpike in that section was finished around 2002, and I-44 was rerouted along U.S. 412 for an extra mile east to the Creek.
Do you think they'll ever release the ROW as its no longer in use?
Quote from: mightyace on March 12, 2009, 09:48:36 PM
Quote from: okroads on March 12, 2009, 09:34:19 PM
That is exactly what it is. The Creek Turnpike in that section was finished around 2002, and I-44 was rerouted along U.S. 412 for an extra mile east to the Creek.
Do you think they'll ever release the ROW as its no longer in use?
Considering that we are talking about Oklahoma, probably not. :-D I don't know for sure, though.
Believe it or not, that section of bypassed freeway still has BGSes on it! (I saw some pictures of it on an urban exploration site.) I kinda want to explore it next time I'm around Tulsa...
It was also used as a prop in a Senator's reelection ads. The message basically was "Our roads suck! Vote for me, I'll fix them!" Yeah, of course that road sucks; it's been closed to traffic since 2002...
http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/newsmedia/i44riverside/pdfs/i44plans.pdf (http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/newsmedia/i44riverside/pdfs/i44plans.pdf)
Note that I-44 will be relocated in places. Right now, work is being done on relocating a ditch just N of I-44 between Yorktown Ave and the Arkansas River, and between Yale and 41st Street. Also some buildings on the S side of I-44 near Lewis just went bye-bye. And the I-44 West to Peoria ramp is closed. It's going to be a mess for a while.
Neat. Looks like we'll have some stuff to look at for the Tulsa meet.
The section of I-44 between OK 51 and Harvard is now open to six lanes of traffic, It's concrete. I fully expect it to be falling apart within 10 years, but it's nice now.
Post Merge: September 28, 2011, 19:53:23
I forgot to mention that the overhead signage is the ugly monotubes, some are half tubes while some go over the entire road. And of course, the signs are in Clearview. Nice roads, ugly signs.
What's the status of 44 near the MO State Line?
What about 44 from Riverside past Peoria? I know the stretch from there to Harvard is still a year or so off.
rte66man
Quote from: US71 on September 28, 2011, 07:46:58 PM
What's the status of 44 near the MO State Line?
It was still down to one lane each direction as of 9/12.
You have any pictures of it bugo?
Quote from: rte66man on September 29, 2011, 09:58:36 AM
What about 44 from Riverside past Peoria? I know the stretch from there to Harvard is still a year or so off.
rte66man
Currently, all I-44 traffic is using the WB bridge over the Arkansas River. The EB bridge is closed for widening and the addition of an extra span at the east end. When that is completed, traffic will shift to the EB bridge with the same treatment for the WB bridge.
Construction on the new EB bridge over Peoria Ave. looks to be about halfway. Piers are up, and steel beams are in place for the decking. Once that is complete, traffic will be shifted to the new bridge, the old one demolished, and the new WB bridge built.
The plan for Lewis Ave. is to wait until both Peoria and Harvard are substantially completed before beginning major work, as Lewis will need to be completely closed at I-44. There is a substantial amount of earthwork that will need to be done there.
Harvard should be getting close to completion. Paving is just about finished under I-44, and most of the lighting and traffic control is up.
Quote from: rte66man on September 29, 2011, 09:58:36 AM
What about 44 from Riverside past Peoria? I know the stretch from there to Harvard is still a year or so off.
rte66man
The new Peoria bridge is being built just south of the current one. Peoria is down to 1 lane in each direction at I-44 and is a major pain in the ass. I avoid SB Peoria altogether. The section from Lewis to Peoria is mostly unaltered, the only stretch of the original Skelly Drive still in existence.
Quote from: Rick1962 on September 29, 2011, 01:45:26 PM
Quote from: rte66man on September 29, 2011, 09:58:36 AM
What about 44 from Riverside past Peoria? I know the stretch from there to Harvard is still a year or so off.
rte66man
Currently, all I-44 traffic is using the WB bridge over the Arkansas River. The EB bridge is closed for widening and the addition of an extra span at the east end. When that is completed, traffic will shift to the EB bridge with the same treatment for the WB bridge.
Construction on the new EB bridge over Peoria Ave. looks to be about halfway. Piers are up, and steel beams are in place for the decking. Once that is complete, traffic will be shifted to the new bridge, the old one demolished, and the new WB bridge built.
The plan for Lewis Ave. is to wait until both Peoria and Harvard are substantially completed before beginning major work, as Lewis will need to be completely closed at I-44. There is a substantial amount of earthwork that will need to be done there.
Harvard should be getting close to completion. Paving is just about finished under I-44, and most of the lighting and traffic control is up.
51st Street along I-44 is pretty much complete. The old traffic signals at 51st and Harvard are still in use, but the new ones are in place. 51st west of Lewis is closed WB, which means I have to drive past Harvard to get onto I-44. It can't be any worse than using the Deathramp though.
I'm assuming you are referring to the EB I44 entrance just west of Lewis?
rte66man
Quote from: rte66man on October 03, 2011, 08:13:38 AM
I'm assuming you are referring to the EB I44 entrance just west of Lewis?
rte66man
Yes.
The Deathramp:
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=2868.0
Video of Deathramp:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP3ex2ucdw0
Quote from: Rick1962 on September 29, 2011, 01:45:26 PM
Construction on the new EB bridge over Peoria Ave. looks to be about halfway. Piers are up, and steel beams are in place for the decking. Once that is complete, traffic will be shifted to the new bridge, the old one demolished, and the new WB bridge built.
Peoria is down to one lane at I-44. It's a bottleneck, it gets backed up a lot. I was down there at 4 and traffic was backed up nearly to the Quik Trip at 45th and Peoria.
Quote
The plan for Lewis Ave. is to wait until both Peoria and Harvard are substantially completed before beginning major work, as Lewis will need to be completely closed at I-44. There is a substantial amount of earthwork that will need to be done there.
I'm not looking forward to that at all. But maybe I'll be moved by then. Lewis is going to go under I-44 instead of over it. 44 will have to be raised quite a bit and Lewis will have to be lowered quite a bit before this can be done.
Quote
Harvard should be getting close to completion. Paving is just about finished under I-44, and most of the lighting and traffic control is up.
The new traffic signals were in use as of 6:30 AM on Monday, September 3. It looked to be complete, except for some orange cones.
I also noticed there is one of those signs that lists distances to exits above I-44 EB just west of Harvard. It lists OK 51 but doesn't list US 64. The Broken Arrow Expressway is both US 64 and OK 51 at the I-44 cloverleaf. There's also an onramp onto the EB BA (64-51) just east of the Mingo offramp that only points to OK 51. It seems that US 64 is "subservient" (did I just invent a new term?) to OK 51 through Tulsa. On the ODOT section map, it shows the section as OK 51 only. It is also subservient to US 169 as 169 is always the first highway listed and is the only highway signed on some signs (like the big green signs at EB 71st Street and US 169.) What other US highways are dissed by state highways? Are any Interstates subservient to state or US highways? I-64/US 40 in the St Louis metro doesn't count, I'm looking for highways that come in second according the highway department.
Quote from: codyg1985 on September 29, 2011, 01:05:48 PM
You have any pictures of it bugo?
Not yet, but now that you mention it I'll take my camera to work tomorrow and try to get some pics on the way back. Hopefully the sun won't be too far down at 3:30 and the pictures come out OK.
http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/lewis-ave-to-shut-down-at-i-44-on-monday
Lewis will be closed for 20 months. The frontage roads and ramps will still be open. The detours are Harvard and Peoria. The original bridge over Lewis was built in 1956 as part of Skelly Drive, which was originally signed as Bypass US 66. If you watch the video closely, you will spot a US 66 shield.
20 months?! That's a bit crazy.
Quote from: codyg1985 on October 01, 2012, 06:22:57 PM
20 months?! That's a bit crazy.
It's more than a bridge replacement. Thye have to dig out an entire hill to move the road further south. THEN they can build the new bridge, all while maintaing 2 lanes in each direction on I44. 20 months is pretty good IMO.
rte66man
Quote from: codyg1985 on October 01, 2012, 06:22:57 PM
20 months?! That's a bit crazy.
What's crazy is to see the road 75% done three years after I downloaded the pdf.
4 lanes of the relocated I-44 at Lewis in Tulsa are now open. The road that is open goes underneath the southern span of the half-completed Lewis bridge over I-44. The lanes that are open are the future eastbound lanes. It opened today, September 23, 2013 between midnight and 2 pm. No longer do you have to go around the curves and underneath the old Lewis bridge, which is to be demolished soon. Now no part of the original Skelly Drive in midtown is open.
Are they going to significantly lower the new lanes so there isn't such a steep climb eastbound?
rte66man
Yeah, it's not as steep as it was, although there is still a hill.
Now the Lewis Avenue offramps off of both eastbound and westbound OK 66/I-44 are closed. Heading east and west, it is best to use the Harvard exit unless you are going from EB 44 to SB Lewis, when you would take the Peoria exit.
The Lewis Avenue bridge over I-44 is now gone. It was torn down October 10 or 11, 2013. It can be seen at 3:15 in this video. It's sad that it's gone, but that section of I-44 was a serious bottleneck and could not handle the volume of traffic that goes through that stretch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05a4E9e35FU
The Lewis Ave. bridge is now gone. RIP.
Now the westbound lanes are open, two of them at least. It appears that all six lanes could be opened within the next few days, even though I doubt they will do it because ODOT. I-44 EB at Lewis is down to one lane so if you're coming through Tulsa during the day, it might save time to take the Creek Turnpike.
http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/More-lane-closures-expected-near-I-44-this-weekend/_xzIshlrGESuT5v-boaJ5A.cspx
Drivers can expect more lane closures near Interstate-44 and Lewis Avenue this weekend.
On Saturday and Sunday, crews will open east and westbound lanes to three lanes in each direction. This will be the first time all new lanes will open to traffic.
There will be various lane closures, as crews make final adjustments.
--
This is going to be nice. Hopefully they'll raise the speed limit to 65. When these lanes are opened, I-44 will be six lanes between US 75 to the eastern I-244 split. Right now only one lane is open, and it is a major bottleneck that is causing problems.
I wouldn't count on an SL bump. Most of the Interstates in metro OKC, even the recently reconstructed ones, are set with a speed limit of 60.
Most of 244 is 65. 44 east of 169 is 65. 169 is 65. The Creek Turnpike is 65 through south Tulsa The BA is 65 east of I-44. Why can't I-44 be 65 too?
All six lanes of I-44 at Lewis Avenue are now open to traffic. The speed limit is still 45 through the work zone, and a there is a lot of work to be done on the frontage roads and the Lewis bridge over I-44 before the project is complete. The Lewis onramps and offramps are closed and traffic is detoured on parts of the frontage roads. This makes I-44 six lanes between US 75 and the eastern I-44/244 split. There is also a spot west of Cherokee Curve at 193rd that has been rebuilt as a six lane freeway, although it is only striped for 4 lanes, and there is a project at the 177th bridge which will widen the freeway to 6 lane width. Slowly but surely I-44 will be six lanes between the turnpikes.
Quote from: bugo on March 26, 2014, 02:09:52 AM
All six lanes of I-44 at Lewis Avenue are now open to traffic. The speed limit is still 45 through the work zone, and a there is a lot of work to be done on the frontage roads and the Lewis bridge over I-44 before the project is complete. The Lewis onramps and offramps are closed and traffic is detoured on parts of the frontage roads. This makes I-44 six lanes between US 75 and the eastern I-44/244 split. There is also a spot west of Cherokee Curve at 193rd that has been rebuilt as a six lane freeway, although it is only striped for 4 lanes, and there is a project at the 177th bridge which will widen the freeway to 6 lane width. Slowly but surely I-44 will be six lanes between the turnpikes.
Just in time to make it 8 lanes between Riverside and 169 :)
Seriously, it will be awhile before the part from Elwood to the west 44/244 interchange is made six lanes. The US75 interchange alone will take ODOT 10-15 years to rebuild. That seem to be standard for major interchange rebuilds in OK (see Dallas junction, Ft Smith junction,, etc).
All 4 lanes are now open at 177th Street. The road is wide enough for 6 lanes but is striped for 4.
Now the ramps to and from EB 44 to and from 51st Street/Lewis are open. The WB ramps remained closed. Also, both lanes on EB 51st are opened all the way to Harvard.
The Lewis Avenue bridge over I-44 opened sometime on Friday, August 8, 2014. I was able to use the Texas style U turn ramp to cross the highway to the WB frontage road. The project looks to be very close to completion.
http://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/lewis-avenue-bridge-over-interstate-44-reopened-for-tulsa-drivers
http://www.ktul.com/story/26236034/lewis-avenue-bridge-reopens-over-interstate-44
The Lewis Avenue bridge over Interstate 44 is open to traffic again.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation announced the opening Friday afternoon.
The westbound off ramp to Lewis Avenue remains closed as crews finish work on the project.
The highway project closed Lewis Avenue over the highway for about two years. It was the final project in widening Interstate 44 through midtown Tulsa.
Quote from: bugo on August 09, 2014, 10:15:02 AM
http://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/lewis-avenue-bridge-over-interstate-44-reopened-for-tulsa-drivers
http://www.ktul.com/story/26236034/lewis-avenue-bridge-reopens-over-interstate-44
The Lewis Avenue bridge over Interstate 44 is open to traffic again.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation announced the opening Friday afternoon.
The westbound off ramp to Lewis Avenue remains closed as crews finish work on the project.
The highway project closed Lewis Avenue over the highway for about two years. It was the final project in widening Interstate 44 through midtown Tulsa.
Look at the first still in the KJRH story. It looks like a Texas turnaround, but that wouldn't work there as 51st is two-way.
51st is now a one way frontage road west of Lewis. The U ramp goes from EB 51st to WB Skelly Drive.
Quote from: bugo on August 09, 2014, 08:14:07 PM
51st is now a one way frontage road west of Lewis. The U ramp goes from EB 51st to WB Skelly Drive.
I'm going to be SO lost next time I'm over there ;)
Rt66man is correct. There is an extra lane on the northbound side of the Lewis Avenue bridge. Original plans called for 51st Street to be converted to one-way traffic between Lewis and Harvard. This was quickly shot down, but it looks like the original bridge plans were not changed. Even for ODOT that's quite an oversight.
Perhaps the plan is to incorporate it into the proposed bike trail connecting the trail stub east of Yale with the Arkansas River trail. In Tulsa, it's anyone's guess!
Got my first chance to drive 44 through the Lewis interchange this weekend. Very nice :clap: Also got to come up Lewis from 61st and turn west onto 44. I love the double turn lanes. I notice both Texas turnarounds and agree it looks as if ODOT blew it on the one on the east side of the bridge. I will ask my daughter (who works in the Bridge division) if she can look it up to confirm.
Did you notice the OK 66 signs with the C font and the neutered I-44 shields on 51st and Lewis?
Quote from: bugo on August 23, 2014, 10:41:29 PM
Did you notice the OK 66 signs with the C font and the neutered I-44 shields on 51st and Lewis?
I did see the neutered 44 shields.. I'm not good with the various fonts so I missed the 66 signs.
Quote from: bugo on August 23, 2014, 10:41:29 PM
Did you notice the OK 66 signs with the C font and the neutered I-44 shields on 51st and Lewis?
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5582/15028472021_9155009f47_c.jpg)
That really does not look right.
Just noticed this past weekend that there's already some pretty noticeable subsidence at the east end of the eastbound Peoria overpass, complete with a decent-sized pothole between the center and outer lanes.
This is after what, two years?
There's also more pavement breakup along 51st Street at the I-44 ramps. Amazing what the contractors can get away with around here.
Quote from: Rick1962 on September 29, 2014, 04:08:51 PM
Just noticed this past weekend that there's already some pretty noticeable subsidence at the east end of the eastbound Peoria overpass, complete with a decent-sized pothole between the center and outer lanes.
This is after what, two years?
There's also more pavement breakup along 51st Street at the I-44 ramps. Amazing what the contractors can get away with around here.
That's what happens when they select the lowest bidder instead of the bidder with the best value.