I agree, the Western section north is the pits. . .perhaps there will be some encouragement to clean it up.

Or we could just stop building new, expensive roadways in areas where they aren't needed and that now NEED to be cleaned up because it serves as a gateway into our downtown.

There are plenty of crappy areas in town that almost no one sees, and that's just fine. Every city has them. We just don't need to be spending millions to feature them, then divert all kinds of resources that are badly needed elsewhere to try and do something with the area.

Take a look at aerials of this route... Most don't pay attention because of the elevated nature of the old I-40. It's really, really bad.

Take a look at aerials of this route... Most don't pay attention because of the elevated nature of the old I-40. It's really, really bad.

I've drove around that area so much that I can't help but notice how UGLY it is even from the old I-40.

Do you mean the entire Boulevard or just the stretch west of Reno? I'm not sure if the city is hoping for more than it should, but it seems like they could just have the western terminus of the Boulevard be Reno and use that road as the on/off ramp for the western stretch of the new I-40.

I'm not sure, I am only now beginning to think about the new Boulevard now that the new I-40 is completely up and running.

Western (interstate-style) flyovers are already complete, barricaded and waiting to connect to new road. For better or worse, the boulevard is a done deal. At this point we just have to make the best of it. Hopefully they find a way to knock the design out of the park.

Urbanized, I realize this is largely a lost cause but they could still tie the flyover into Reno and just have the boulevard start about Classen.

If they really wanted it to connect to i40 on both sides; having the flyovers off i40 just east of Exchange bridge bend to 3rd at Western and would have been a much cleaner way for the city grid. Not sure how much a visual improvement it would be over the current route.

I really hope the bike lanes don't get scrapped, but then again, parts of it I probably wouldn't ride alone anyway.

Also, they could put the streetcar/light rail down the median like the old interurbans used to be.

It does seem unnecessary to have Reno, OKC Boulevard, Sheridan?, Main, Linwood, et al--ALL funneling out of downtown westward.

Especially since there is so little in that area to the west of Classen. Just small industrial buildings and blight.

I really don't think anyone thought this through, just went with the default approach of basically replacing the old I-40 with a surface road.

I remember it beeing discussed by Eric Wenger, even, in a council meeting that the possibility existed of just tying the boulevard into Reno around Shartel and Classen.

I just don't think they really knew what to do with this corridor so they decided to more or less replicate the old I-40 at ground level.

It doesn't make any sense as an entrance to downtown because it would take you far longer to drive all the distance on surface streets rather than just continuing on the new I-40 and taking an exit further east. And there isn't much of anything in that western sector that needs all this access... There is already the Penn/Agnew exit/entrance right there, as well as Western.
Thank you. I have been saying the same thing for several years now. Whenever I write my COuncil person etc about it, get back no response at all. Not even the form letter "thank you for writing" variety.

if they are going to scrap the west end, they need to do it rather quickly as construction is to begin within the year or so....of course we have the half finished westend Boulevard exit/flyover already built, between the Agnew/Penn exits...

Thank you. I have been saying the same thing for several years now. Whenever I write my COuncil person etc about it, get back no response at all. Not even the form letter "thank you for writing" variety.

if they are going to scrap the west end, they need to do it rather quickly as construction is to begin within the year or so....of course we have the half finished westend Boulevard exit/flyover already built, between the Agnew/Penn exits...

At this point it is a federal requirement that it ties into something, they may be able to get away with merging it into Reno but we can not scrap it entirely.

I remember it beeing discussed by Eric Wenger, even, in a council meeting that the possibility existed of just tying the boulevard into Reno around Shartel and Classen.

Well if they're smart, they should just do that...and spend the money elsewhere.

I thought the idea was to tie the new Boulevard onto the old portion of the I-40 after Western. Basically where the I-40 bridge structure stops and continues onto the elevated portion of land. Then it would follow the old I-40 alignment from there and would tie back into the new I-40 just before the 44/40 junction. Does anyone else recall this plan?

I thought the idea was to tie the new Boulevard onto the old portion of the I-40 after Western. Basically where the I-40 bridge structure stops and continues onto the elevated portion of land. Then it would follow the old I-40 alignment from there and would tie back into the new I-40 just before the 44/40 junction. Does anyone else recall this plan?

That is most likely what will happen, there may be a chance the west side will tie into Reno around Shartel and the east side tie into 3rd/old i40, I have doubts ODOT will change the plan that much.

I remember it beeing discussed by Eric Wenger, even, in a council meeting that the possibility existed of just tying the boulevard into Reno around Shartel and Classen.

They really, really need to do it that way. It's so pointless to have that western end of it loop up north of Reno. And like Pete said, it's going to be UGLY.

They really, really need to do it that way. It's so pointless to have that western end of it loop up north of Reno. And like Pete said, it's going to be UGLY.

Either way they are using the section just north of Reno, so I am not sure how that is better as concerned to how it looks coming in.

Either way they are using the section just north of Reno, so I am not sure how that is better as concerned to how it looks coming in.

It's just that it would double the amount of street frontage that needs to be cleaned up, whereas if it ties into Reno, it focuses redevelopment in a smaller area (probably making it happen faster).

Not to mention, saving millions in unnecessary expenditures and not encourage people to take a route into downtown that never is going to be flattering.

I prefer GOCART - Greater Oklahoma City Area Rapid (or Rail) Transit.

Advertisement: Get to work fast - Take a GOCART.

This is amazing. So many branding and marketing opportunities with this acronym.

I think they should shoot some of the next Season of "The Walking Dead" on the old I-40 before they tear it down. It being deserted looks so strange and zombie movie/show like.

This is amazing. So many branding and marketing opportunities with this acronym.

Ditch the minivan- get a GOCART

This is amazing. So many branding and marketing opportunities with this acronym.

Dallas is the Dallas Area Rapid Transit - DART....

If Ft Worth ever got rail would it be called ? FART ?

Dallas is the Dallas Area Rapid Transit - DART....

If Ft Worth ever got rail would it be called ? FART ?

not to ruin the joke or anything, but i'm pretty sure it will still just be called the DART as the whole area is the Dallas/Fort Worth Area

If Ft Worth ever got rail would it be called ? FART ?

Only if it ran on natural gas.

:sofa: