Exit 106Exit 106Exit 106 is a fairly important one, as it links the western half of OK-9 to Interstate 35, in Goldsby. This interchange was reconstructed over the past year, the final signage being posted in September 2005. It was supposed to be done in June, but to be fair, a good many things slowed down ODOT along the way. The most major of this was a semi truck slamming into the retaining wall of the two lane bridge over I-35, causing the westbound lane bridge to be closed for most of the summer.
The interchange was originally very strange. The eastern half looked like a mutant cloverleaf, while the western half (servicing I-35 SOUTH) looked like part of a SPUI gone bad, with a mix of the Diamond and Goldsby* type interchanges thrown in. Now, the western half has been replaced with a very nice diamond, with 2 stoplights added, while the other side remains its mutant self.
Gray - old ramps, Blue - new ramps
*There's really no such thing as a Goldsby interchange, but this is a term I invented for the stupid config of interchanges through Goldsby on I-35. (Diagrams later.)
 | Starting off our examination of this interchange is a look back at the original signage from before the project. This is a sign on I-35 SOUTH, just south of the OK-9 EAST (108A) interchange. It dates from the ODOT campaign to eliminate button type from the rural areas, which in my opinion made Oklahoma's roads actually look better than just passable. Notice though to the left that there are two "McClain County" signs - one a standard BGS and another a little green sign that looks like it was ripped off an OK state route. Also, note that this is the "McCall Bridge." (Who's that?) |
 | Continuing south is the old button-copy gore, mounted pleasantly on a half-gantry, for OK-9 WEST. The arrow was removed when ODOT tore up the actual ramp, though the actual sign hung around for a while longer. No sign exists here anymore, because the ramp was moved a little bit to the north. (About a 1/4 mile, if you trust ODOT signage farther than you can throw it.) You can see it splitting off to the right, and I don't think that's a 1/4 mile! At the time this was taken, the new ramp was open but not yet signed. |
 | Going back NORTH-bound, you had a good old button-copy 1-mile distance sign. Nothing abnormal here. (You can see the construction warning signs in this picture.) |
 | The nearby towns of Newcastle and Blanchard are featured on this sign. They happen to be fairly sizable, but lie closer to I-44 than this interchange. This is yet another button copy sign experiencing its impeding doom, as it was replaced with all the others. (This sign was weird-looking at night. The buttons were actually darker at night. I think it was a defect.) |
| I don't have an actual picture of the old gore sign (which was bizarre looking, but already replaced by the time I got my camera out), however, OKRoads does. Notice the old-style VMS which reads DRIVE CAREBFULLY. | |
| YOU KNOW YOU KNOW YOU KNOW | And simply because I have to mention it somewhere...this was the VMS posted when the WEST-bound lane of OK-9 over the bridge was closed. If I remember correctly, it originally said BRIDGE OUT or similar, but within a week it read YOU KNOW YOU KNOW YOU KNOW. Take this as a lession, roadfans - don't drink and sign. |
 | And an example of the new. This is I-35 NORTH, with a brand spanking new gantry and a new gore sign. But...notice how odd the new signs look? Yes, and closer examination shows that the '9' is off-center in the shields... |