There is a lot of action taking place at Waterloo Road at Interstate 35, including a development and soon an untraditional interchange in that traffic is redirected to the opposite side of the road prior to traversing the highway bridge crossing the interstate.
With additional housing and business growth along the Oklahoma and Logan County line, traffic congestion continues to give motorists headaches. There is some good news with construction expected in 2023 to help ease the traffic issues.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has chosen a diverging diamond interchange design for the project. The design allows thru traffic to stay in the same lane as they cross under I-35 with traffic signals to help manage traffic flow.
A similar design was constructed by ODOT near Elk City in Beckham County.
The basic design is that of two divided, one-way roads through the interchange. Turning movements, left turns in particular, are safer because vehicles do not have to cross in front of oncoming traffic to make the turn.
ODOT officials said a key to safe traffic movement on of the interchange is the addition of traffic signals.
This safer turning environment is accomplished by traffic crossing to the left side of the divided roadway before moving under the interstate. Once across, a traffic signal will help motorists safely cross back to their normal lanes to continue along Waterloo Rd.
With the diamond interchange, ODOT looked to the joining counties to work together on a plan to expand Sooner Road to help eastbound traffic with a proposed third lane. However, with new information, Oklahoma County appears to be balking at the idea.
At the March 31 Logan County Board of County Commissioners meeting, ODOT’s District Four Engineer Trenton January informed the commissioners that Oklahoma County Commissioner Kevin Calvey had shown several concerns about the shared project and was not going to participate with Logan County. Watch BOCC meeting.
Logan County commissioners has appropriated $2.7 million for the project through their County Improvements for Roads & Bridges (CIRB) plan. Oklahoma County commissioners committed dollars through the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG).
January presented two renderings of the project to the commissioners. One showing a plan if the counties participated and the other showing a plan if the counties did not participate.
January said that the interchange would help with the congestion and growth. He added that both counties must participate to complete the Sooner Road project.
Oklahoma County currently has not taken formal action to withdraw from the project.
January stated he will soon be sending letters to Oklahoma and Logan counties formally asking for the decision as to participate or not participate in the I-35/Waterloo project.
Logan County Development
As motorists travel up and down the highway, dirt work and tree removal can be seen taken place just north of Waterloo Road in Logan County.
Public records show Waterloo 35 Investments bought the property from Cambridge Healthcare Properties in 2017 for $4.7 million. Later in 2019, water rights were purchased for the property.
Waterloo 35 Investments is comprised of multiple developers.
While it’s not certain at the current time of what will be constructed on the 150 acre property, Snoddy Properties, a full-service real estate firm, listed the location as a perfect mixed-use development including residential, hotels, fast food, retail, executive office park and more.
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