# Civic Matters > Suburban & Other OK Communities > Norman >  Robinson Underpass

## badfish77

Anyone know when this is supposed to be finished? They originally said by mid summer, before school starts. I just dont see that hapening. Just curious if anyone has any info.

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## OKCisOK4me

Huh?  You gotta be more specific...  The only place I can think of where Robinson is an underpass is below the Crosstown...

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## rcjunkie

> Huh?  You gotta be more specific...  The only place I can think of where Robinson is an underpass is below the Crosstown...


At the top of this thread page it says, Norman.

From what I've been told, they are looking at completion sometime in late January.

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## OKCisOK4me

Oh, my bad, lol...I hardly pay attention to beginnings, just clicked on the newest poster link.  Carry on! ;-)

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## badfish77

January huh? I live on Flood so I get stuck at that damn light everyday. You think they would make the north south flood robinson light just a little longer. Cant wait for game day traffic.

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## venture

Hopefully people coming in for games are smart and take Sooner or Hwy 9.

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## rcjunkie

> Hopefully people coming in for games are smart and take Sooner or Hwy 9.


I know it will never happen, but it would be great if they could four lane Flood from Robinson to Highway 9.

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## JimTrabersColostomyBag

> I know it will never happen, but it would be great if they could four lane Flood from Robinson to Highway 9.


Especially since Flood stops a couple of blocks south of Lindsey St.

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## badfish77

I can't even park in my driveway on game days. Have to use the bike or plan ahead and park on the side of the house.

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## rcjunkie

> Especially since Flood stops a couple of blocks south of Lindsey St.


That's probably why I said I know it will never happen.

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## BDK

Ha, Flood goes straight through residential areas, as well. I love that OU is basically surrounded by houses, but it is a pain on game day. Come early, stay late.

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## venture

Use to live off Flood where it ends near campus...yeah extending it is never going to happen. Well, unless Norman wants to spend millions to buy out houses.  Plenty of other options to use instead of tearing through residential areas for an expanded road that isn't really needed.

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## rcjunkie

> Use to live off Flood where it ends near campus...yeah extending it is never going to happen. Well, unless Norman wants to spend millions to buy out houses.  Plenty of other options to use instead of tearing through residential areas for an expanded road that isn't really needed.


But an additonal 4 lane road from North to South is absolutely needed, and often discussed at City of Norman planning committee meetings.

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## venture

The probably is just finding the room for it. Berry would be logical, but lack of room there. 

24th East is getting there, but needs to be widened from Lindsey to Robinson.
12th East is already there.
Porter is already 4.
Flood runs out of room.
24th West is there.
36th West is there.

The need is definitely there, they just don't have many options.

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## OUman

^Actually many people already use HWY 9 on gamedays, Lloyd Noble parking anyone? Plus the shuttle service means that lot is always full on game days. I know, I've parked there on several occasions.

Porter is probably going to be widened a bit further with a center turn lane (at least if the plan in place is implemented).

I vaguely recall reading somewhere that 12th East can actually be widened further if needed, but I maybe wrong on that.

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## king183

> Ha, Flood goes straight through residential areas, as well. I love that OU is basically surrounded by houses, but it is a pain on game day. Come early, stay late.


Almost all of the suggestions to widen a street in Norman use traffic on gamedays as their primary evidence.  That's 6 days a year, people.  We can manage.

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## mcca7596

> Almost all of the suggestions to widen a street in Norman use traffic on gamedays as their primary evidence.  That's 6 days a year, people.  We can manage.


This

I mean Norman is one of the the most unique, quaint, and urban towns in Oklahoma. Let's not destroy its character by widening the streets.

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## BoulderSooner

> This
> 
> I mean Norman is one of the the most unique, quaint, and urban towns in Oklahoma. Let's not destroy its character by widening the streets.


give me a break ... lindsay is horrible traffic all the time .. and the current curbs/sidewalks look terrible .... 

a 4 lane (w/ or w/ out turn lane)  streetscaped Lindsay from I-35 to berry would do wonders to make norman look better

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## BG918

> give me a break ... lindsay is horrible traffic all the time .. and the current curbs/sidewalks look terrible .... 
> 
> a 4 lane (w/ or w/ out turn lane)  streetscaped Lindsay from I-35 to berry would do wonders to make norman look better


Agree.  It is the ONE street I think should be widened in central Norman.  Flood, Boyd, etc. are all fine.  

The Robinson underpass will be a huge improvement.  Hopefully the Lindsey underpass is not far behind.

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## kevinpate

> ...  Hopefully the Lindsey underpass is not far behind.


I'm not certain that one is even still at the it might be nice stage.  Memory could just be too fragmented, but I seem to recall that idea got scrapped around the same time Robinson final plan became an underpass instead of an overpass and the city was able to save the Duffy St. at-grade crossing just south of downtown.  Could be wrong (it certainly wouldn't be the first time.)

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## BG918

From the City of Norman website:

_Underpass and overpass options were evaluated for a grade separated crossing and it was determined that an underpass was the only feasible alternative for this location. The vertical profile was set such that a two-span structural steel plate girder bridge would provide the necessary horizontal and vertical clearances to the roadway. The estimated project cost at the Lindsey Street location is about $6,914,000._

I don't know the status of the project though.

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## mcca7596

> give me a break ... lindsay is horrible traffic all the time .. and the current curbs/sidewalks look terrible .... 
> 
> a 4 lane (w/ or w/ out turn lane)  streetscaped Lindsay from I-35 to berry would do wonders to make norman look better


Well, I don't live there anymore, so as long as they keep sidewalks I guess it'd be okay; I just don't think it'd be the same safe pedestrian atmosphere. Would you at least advocate keeping the speed limit at 25 M.P.H.?

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## OUman

> Well, I don't live there anymore, so as long as they keep sidewalks I guess it'd be okay; I just don't think it'd be the same safe pedestrian atmosphere. Would you at least advocate keeping the speed limit at 25 M.P.H.?


Actually it's anything but a safe pedestrian atmosphere, and sidewalks are actually lacking. You may not have seen Lindsey traffic recently, long lines of cars abound pretty much all day, everyday. I have ridden my bike there, on the side of the road, with somewhat of a decent shoulder you'd think a bicycle would have no problems but when you have car after car passing you at 30-35 mph just a few feet away it's not exactly one of the easiest bike rides. Lindsey definitely needs good sidewalks on both sides between 24th Ave. West and Berry.

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## venture

Lindsey does need new sidewalks...for a large portion of it. As far as widening...it needs to be 4 lanes + turn lane from I-35 to Berry, and then from Jenkins to 36th SE. Then through campus I would like to see an improve to the landscaping with unique lighting, sidewalks, bike lanes, and vegetation. It would also be nice to raised walkways over Lindsey in campus to remove a lot of traffic lights there, add in more round abouts, and divert all truck traffic off of Lindsey down alternate routes.

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## BoulderSooner

> Well, I don't live there anymore, so as long as they keep sidewalks I guess it'd be okay; I just don't think it'd be the same safe pedestrian atmosphere. Would you at least advocate keeping the speed limit at 25 M.P.H.?


yes the speed is not what bothers me ... .. 

if i could pick i would make lindsay 4 lanes with a median with bike lanes and sidwalks .. make it street scaped and a true gateway to OU ...   this would be from I 35 to berry .. 

from berry to jenkins lindsay would be 2 lane but with the same quality sidewalks and bike lanes ..  then from jenkins to whereever it would go back to 4 lanes

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## ou48A

Many of the sidewalks just off campus in the residential areas need to be replaced and widened.
Many appear to date back to the WPA days. They are broken and crumbling in many, many locations.
They are anything but pedestrian friendly...... particularly with the poor night lighting.

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## davido

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davennorman/

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## ShiroiHikari

Since I don't live off Lindsey anymore and have no reason to go to OU, I don't get over that way much. I do think it'd be nice if it were somehow widened, but that's probably a long time coming, if it happens at all.

I'll sure be glad when Robinson is done, though. I live on the east side now and it's kind of a pain in the you-know-what to go to UNP...

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## kevinpate

> ... 
> I'll sure be glad when Robinson is done, though. I live on the east side now and it's kind of a pain in the you-know-what to go to UNP...



Maybe use Tecumseh?

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## ShiroiHikari

Wow, I feel dumb. I never thought of that. I'll try that next time I go up there. I'm still adjusting to living over here (near 12th and Alameda).

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## OKCisOK4me

> http://www.flickr.com/photos/davennorman/


In those pics it looks as if they left room for future expansion of a commuter line to be built over Robinson.

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## okcfollower

> In those pics it looks as if they left room for future expansion of a commuter line to be built over Robinson.


No there is just two sets of tracks at this spot because this is where trains get off and let other trains pass them. That is a big reason why this spot will be nice to have an underpass. There have been times people have been known to get stuck for 30 minutes here because a train is stopped on one track to let the train go by the other direction on the main line.

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## OKCisOK4me

> No there is just two sets of tracks at this spot because this is where trains get off and let other trains pass them. That is a big reason why this spot will be nice to have an underpass. There have been times people have been known to get stuck for 30 minutes here because a train is stopped on one track to let the train go by the other direction on the main line.


LOL, yeah, I went to Google Maps yesterday after typing that comment and realized it was the temp flyover track.

Actually, I'm surprised they've waited this long in Norman to do this.  I know the saying goes, "Don't Edmond my Norman" but you have to have full access for emergency & safety vehicles.  Edmond has had their underpass for YEARS and they just put a new one in 2 miles to the north 2-3 years ago or so.

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## kevinpate

Oh, and watch your speed on Tecumseh Rd.  It's not yet heavily used so it is easy to um, be forgetful on that somewhat lonely, wide-open stretch.

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## OUman

The underpass work is progressing quite nicely, it appears the roadway work is done, they have re-instated the main set of tracks (having disconnected the temporary tracks that were laid for construction) and the railway bridge looks nice.

As for Tecumseh Road, I agree. I frequently see people caught by unmarked police cars, they like keeping those on that road.

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## kevinpate

> The underpass work is progressing quite nicely, it appears the roadway work is done, they have re-instated the main set of tracks (having disconnected the temporary tracks that were laid for construction) and the railway bridge looks nice.
> 
> As for Tecumseh Road, I agree. I frequently see people caught by unmarked police cars, they like keeping those on that road.


Looking forward to this being knocked out once it happens, and hoping after a day like today the pumper system is up to the task it faces on these rare occasions.

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## venture

> Looking forward to this being knocked out once it happens, and hoping after a day like today the pumper system is up to the task it faces on these rare occasions.


They did put one in right? lol

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## kevinpate

From City of Norman FB site today:




> On  Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 6:30 a.m., Robinson Street will be opened  to traffic under the new bridge which carries the Burlington, Northern  and Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad track crossing.  This is a major milestone  of the Citys Robinson Street Underpass (Grade Separation) Project which  began construction on June 14, 2010.  All four lanes on Robinson Street  will be open to vehicular traffic as well  as a continuous sidewalk for pedestrians on the south side of Robinson  Street.  The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is administering the  construction of the Robinson Street Underpass Project.  The prime  contractor is Manhattan Road and Bridge Company of Oklahoma City.  The  lead engineering design firm on the project is HNTB Corporation of  Kansas City, Missouri.
> 
>  The fourth phase of construction on the  project, including the northern connections of Robinson Street to Flood  Street and Stubbeman Avenue, will also begin on Wednesday, July 11,  2012.  By moving traffic from the temporary Robinson Street shoofly to  the permanent Robinson Street pavement, the contractor can remove the  temporary shoofly and finish construction of the northern portion of the  project.  Remaining construction items include the two sections of  Flood Street and Stubbeman Avenue, completion of the north retaining  wall on Robinson Street, legacy trail along the north side of Robinson  Street, a storm water detention basin and final grading.  A phasing  diagram is attached.  
> 
>  The contractor plans to complete the  Flood Street portion of the remaining project by September 1, 2012 prior  to the first OU football game.  The Stubbeman Avenue portion of the  project will be completed and opened to traffic by October 1, 2012.   When classes resume at Norman North High School in August, 2012, detour  routes to the school from Robinson Street will be provided.
> 
>  The  fifth and final phase of the project includes the enhanced landscaping  of the corridor and is scheduled to begin in October 2012.  Landscaping  will be installed in the center median and along the outer edges of  Robinson Street.  An artists rendering of the final project is  attached. 
> 
>  The Robinson Street Underpass Project from 500 feet  west of Flood Avenue to 500 feet east of Stubbeman Avenue is a $25  million street improvement project approved by the Norman voters in the  March, 2005 Bond Election.  The 2005 Bond Program also included railroad  safety improvements to the Duffy Street/BNSF crossing in downtown  Norman.  Those improvements were completed in 2009.   
> ...

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