Traffic Talk: Heavy traffic flow makes interchange a location to watch out for when traveling the interstate
NewsOK
DON GAMMILL
Published: February 28, 2011
Oklahoma's interstate traffic in the metro area can be a bit unnerving during rush hour. But there are solutions.
Concerning the amount of daily accidents on I-240 eastbound between Shields Boulevard and I-35, why hasn't the Oklahoma Department of Transportation closed the eastbound on-ramp from Shields? The merging traffic during rush hour inevitably leads to accidents. If the merging car isn't involved, then cars braking for the entering traffic often collide. The traffic would need to be rerouted south around the 82nd Street overpass on I-35. This would add two minutes to the drive to eastbound traffic from Shields to I-240 and north bound I-35 and one minute to those who are going south on I-35. ODOT has changed ramp access in the city before. The most closely related to this one would be the westbound entrance onto I-44 from May Avenue While not closing the entrance, they did restrict the traffic from crossing numerous lanes to go southbound. I am sure this was done to minimize traffic accidents, and I don't understand why they have let the problem at the Shields/I-240/I-35 interchange continue unabated... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Mon, February 28, 2011
by John Cox