Motorists continue to share their fears of driving through the Highway 33 and Highway 105 intersection and the goal of adding traffic lights. The good news is the project is on the Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) 8 Year Construction Work Plan. The bad news is the project is currently not in the fast lane.
ODOT’s Division Four Engineer, Brian Taylor, attended last week’s Board of County Commissioner’s meeting and discussed some of the upcoming projects for Logan County. He oversees all construction and maintenance operations in Division Four and encompasses Canadian, Garfield, Grant, Kay, Kingfisher, Logan, Noble, Oklahoma and Payne counties.
Taylor told the commissioners the 33/105 project is in the “early going stages.”
“I’m confident we are going to get a good project out of this.”
Taylor said they are looking into signalizing the intersection, adding a third lane on Highway 105 from the intersection to Post Road, adding shoulders on 105, which would affect several driveways, and possibly cutting down hills to increase sight distance.
The project recently went out to bid for design work and was awarded to EST Inc. in Oklahoma City.
The overall project did not make the 8 Year Plan for three years before recently being added last year. The tentative start date for construction is 2024. However, Taylor spoke with caution by saying, “as our budget allows” as he referenced continuous budget cuts levied down from the state Legislature.
District 2 Commissioner Mike Pearson asked Taylor about adding temporary signal lights at the 33/105 intersection due to several wrecks, including a fatality, the Loves Truck Stop and traffic backing up on 105, but Taylor did not seem to favor the idea.
“I would not recommend it,” Taylor said by adding concerns of the downhill grade on the back side of the Highway 33 curve and being the first signal light coming into town.
The engineer added they will look into adding additional action warning signs and accelerating the project to a closer start date.
Taylor is hopeful he can meet with City of Guthrie officials and Pearson in the near future to further discussions the project.
To view this conversation you can fast forward the GNP video below to 32:30.
The speed limit is 55 from vet corner going east on 105 is too high, should be 45 or 50, my opinion