Why are Oklahoma's roads so crappy?

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CHenry

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I-44 just north and south of I-40 is one of the areas I avoid because of the rough roads, particularly in my RV. I've had stuff tossed all over my trailer from this stretch of road. Hwy 69 south of Muskogee is better than it was; Hwy 69 just south of Eufala makes me want to (redacted). How can you have a road this crappy and someone not be in jail???? Hwy 412 west of Tulsa is an area to avoid also. WTF? It was just milled, but is still lumpy and the bridge transitions are violent. I've considered moving out of state just so I won't have to damage my equipment fighting OK roads. Thank you CHenry for doing the best you can with what you have available, but there is a noticeable difference when you come into Oklahoma.
I never said it was perfect for being 40 years old. It has held up extremely well for the massive amount of pounding it has taken. Its slated for full depth replacement ...when the money is there. You all do know the Feds are holding the Federal transportation fund hostage at the moment, right?
 

tRidiot

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I never said it was perfect for being 40 years old. It has held up extremely well for the massive amount of pounding it has taken. Its slated for full depth replacement ...when the money is there. You all do know the Feds are holding the Federal transportation fund hostage at the moment, right?

Nationwide or just for OK because we won't play ball with... Common Core or some other Fed-mandated program?
 

crrcboatz

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This thread ROCKS. It is the subject of something I have been unable to get answers on for a very long time. Substandard roads in this state are the number 1 gripe on my list of being an okie.
 

CMonkey

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Serious question here.

I just got back from a 2,500 mile road trip to see my brother in Fayetteville, North Carolina, with a short day trip down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

We drove I-40 most of the way and made a few side trips along the way. By far, the worst section of I-40 was in Oklahoma. Coming back, as soon as we crossed the boarder, I could tell that we were in Oklahoma just by the quality of the road. There was a constant ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump as we drove across the seams of the concrete, and a somewhat wavy feel to the road in general and pot holes every few hundred yards.

I do a lot of driving in Oklahoma. HWYs 69 and 412 to and from work every day, HWY 51 to Stillwater and the Turner Turnpike down to OKC and Edmond about once a month. And it seems that all of the roads in Oklahoma are in far worse shape than any of the roads that I drove on in Arkansas, Tennessee, North and South Carolina recently. The bridges that I cross on a daily basis here in Oklahoma are a patchwork quilt of concrete and asphalt.

So, what's the deal? Do we not have properly trained or experienced road building and maintenance crews? Do we just cheap out on the budget so we can't get quality materials? Or is there some kind of corruption and graft going on that the money we do spend isn't actually getting spent on the roads themselves?
 

John6185

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Why do the big gravel hauling trucks and 18 wheelers seem to always drive in the passing lane? We get to drive in the outside lane where the big rigs have already torn up the road, potholes, patches etc. That is one of life's mysteries no one has answered.
 

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