What is the Need for the Project?

The need for improvements to the US-64 (Memorial Drive) and US-169/Creek Turnpike interchange are primarily related to traffic volumes and the congestion it causes both on the interchange ramps and on Memorial Drive. 

The existing interchange is a traditional diamond configuration with two through lanes in each direction on Memorial Drive, single left turn lanes under the Creek Turnpike, single right turn lanes at the entrance ramps, and exit ramps with double left turn lanes and a right turn lane. 

Pictured above: Existing US-64/US-169 interchange in Tulsa.

Memorial Drive at this location carries approximately 47,000 vehicles per day (vpd) near the interchange and has heavy traffic on the Creek Turnpike ramps. The east side ramps carry over 10,000 vehicles per day. Due to these ramp volumes and overall heavy traffic on Memorial Drive, congestion at the interchange is common with backups occurring on Memorial Drive south of the Turnpike in the AM and on the westbound exit ramp in the PM.

Pictured above: Congestion on the westbound exit-ramp

Pictured above: Traffic on northbound Memorial Drive waiting to turn east (to northbound US-169)

Currently, these ramps provide a Level of Service F (rated on an A-F scale – similar to a report card), meaning there is severe delay.  Traffic volumes on Memorial Drive are projected to increase to 60,000 vpd by 2045, and congestion is anticipated to worsen in the future as traffic volumes increase.

The videos below show a simulation of today's traffic at the US-64 and US-169 interchange.  Please see the "What is Being Built" page for videos of the future DDI.

Traffic Simulation: Existing Interchange (2020 AM Peak):

Traffic Simulation: Existing Interchange (2020 PM Peak):

Another goal of the US-64/US-169 interchange project is to improve safety.  The interchange area has witnessed a yearly average of 134 collisions in recent years.  One fatality and eight serious injury collisions occurred between 2013-2017. Collisions on Memorial Drive have been primarily related to turns at the ramps or rear-end collisions, indicative of congested conditions. In the heat map below, the larger red areas are where the majority of collisions have occurred.

Pedestrians and cyclists crossing Memorial Drive must contend with right-turning vehicles that do not always yield at the unsignalized crosswalks.  The new Trail crossing will have signals at every crosswalk to increase pedestrian and cyclist safety.