OK, couple of gripes to open ears here.

OKC spent money, and rightfully so, to put sidewalks in on Sooner Rd to connect 59th down to 44th. They did this not 6 months ago. What do I see when I'm driving down Sooner on Monday? They're ripping half of it out already. What the crap? Did they plan so poorly that they overlapped another project? If so, why are they not tearing it all out, and instead doing sections? The sidewalk itself wasn't cracking or anything, so it can't be from shotty work. And they sure took their sweet time installing it in the first place. If they were doing line work, again, why would they only tear out sections?

And to go along with that, don't you think 5-6pm is an INopportune time to be doing this work. And then also be grinding off the road striping in the same area at the same time. So traffic on Sooner in the busiest part of the day is down to 2 lanes, causing it to back up almost a full MILE in either direction. We couldn't have planned on that during the day hours when there are far fewer people there huh?

It just seems to continue the poor planning they've had with Sooner in that area for years now.
The failed track rebuild that make it a TERRIBLE crossing.
The addition of 2 lights, which are great, but NO TURN LANES TO HELP THEM. So traffic still backs up and causes wrecks because of the lack of the lane.
The addition of a random turn lane into the Heart Hospital, which has almost ZERO traffic since 99% of it comes from the other direction (north...240) while the VERY busy and dangerous turns into both gas stations still don't have any and cause wrecks all the time.

I just don't understand what nimrod is making these decisions....and how can so many poor decisions be made in such a short stretch of road? You can't even blame Del City because all of this happens south of 44, so it's fully OKC.

I just don't understand what nimrod is making these decisions....and how can so many poor decisions be made in such a short stretch of road? You can't even blame Del City because all of this happens south of 44, so it's fully OKC.

There's no doubt that OKC's road planning is the certainly some of the poorest I've ever encountered. It's truly awful.

Roads on the South side of Oklahoma City is the absolute worst. I go to OKC Community college in the fall and its going to suck having to drive down there. Huge embaressment for the city.

Well does anyone know what the best place to raise questions like this would be? I can't seem to get anyone from the city website to listen or respond. It's as though if they see a road complaint, they just delete it. And that's totally opposite of what i've experienced from the utilities department, which has always been very quick and helpful.

which telly channel used to run a 'you paid for it' series? Maybe they could garner a more complete response than you're getting via your own efforts?

If federal monies were used in the previous project then sidewalks were required...much to the dismay of of some previous City of OKC public works directors.

Yeah, I noticed that the other day. What a waste of money. I do agree that the south side of the city is the worst, especially Bryant Ave between SE 89th and SE 104th. I also notice they did a poor job resurfacing I-240 between I-35 and I-44.

Poor city planning came up with Sooner Road - why stop bad planning now?

I don't even see the need for the sidewalks there honestly... Everyone drives in that area. I saw no evidence of a large amount of pedestrians in that area ever. Better spent on 44th to 59th on S. Walker.

I've gotten results by emailing Mike DeGiacomo - Mike.DeGiacomo@okc.gov

I don't even see the need for the sidewalks there honestly... Everyone drives in that area. I saw no evidence of a large amount of pedestrians in that area ever. Better spent on 44th to 59th on S. Walker.

I believe these sidewalks are part of the trails plan to link up all of the city trails to lake draper. As for replacing the just poured sidewalks, I believe the contractor that installed them replaced several panels because they did not pass inspection or had some other installation defect. I love how people just assume things are government waste.

I believe these sidewalks are part of the trails plan to link up all of the city trails to lake draper. As for replacing the just poured sidewalks, I believe the contractor that installed them replaced several panels because they did not pass inspection or had some other installation defect. I love how people just assume things are government waste.

If they were replaced due to not passing inspection or any other defect, that is still government waste, unless the contractor did it on his own dime completely. It's still gov't waste in that case, just not as major (time lost, re-inspection, etc.). Why can't this stuff be done right the first time here in OK? It is in other places.....

If they were replaced due to not passing inspection or any other defect, that is still government waste, unless the contractor did it on his own dime completely. It's still gov't waste in that case, just not as major (time lost, re-inspection, etc.). Why can't this stuff be done right the first time here in OK? It is in other places.....
Things have to be redone everywhere because of poor work failing inspection, anytime something fails the contractor is supposed to fix it on their dime per most contracts because the original construction did not fulfill the terms of the contract. I know that I have never approved a change order paying the contractor for work they had to redo because of failing inspection. Part of the issue with gov't contracts is having to use the low bidder and many of those try to cut corner or change order you to death trying to make up the difference between real costs and their low bid. In private sector work I have never used the low bid, we usually use a "best bid" scenario which weighs many different factors.

I believe these sidewalks are part of the trails plan to link up all of the city trails to lake draper. As for replacing the just poured sidewalks, I believe the contractor that installed them replaced several panels because they did not pass inspection or had some other installation defect. I love how people just assume things are government waste.



If they didn't have such a poor track record on this strech of road, i might give them the benefit of the doubt. But they have made so many poor decicions for such a short stretch of VERY busy road, it really doesn't make me want to be on the side of the city. Make them correct some of the really bad decisions made on that road, then i'll be happy to blame contractors rather than those that draw up and approve the plans in the first place.

Poor city planning came up with Sooner Road - why stop bad planning now?

This. Then you create suburbs that just keep demanding things.. oh well.

Oh lord please dude. Suburb??? Really?

Bomber, you have to get with the program if you want to keep the corners of your OKCTalk card. Start hating suburbs now and demand NYC replace your OKC, taxes and all! Dammit! Someone just cut off another corner of MY card!

Lol

Oh lord please dude. Suburb??? Really?

Ever heard the concept?

Midwest City, Del City, and even OKC proper portions of Sooner Road would all be suburban, tertiary areas. As most of us know, the east side of the metro didn't take off until Stanley Draper's crowning accomplishment in this city, attracting Tinker in the 40's.

You don't reach suburb status until your area has been littered with Gated Communities like NW OKC and Edmond.

As if Gates and Taser Toting rent-a-cops that annoy the living crap out of local police with frivolous calls will makes your neighborhood better. You have a rude awakening coming your way.

Right, but the premise is that suburbs aren't built to last. Del City was actually an extremely "desirable" suburb (a la Edmond today) when it was built in the 50s and 60s. Whoda thunk?

The problem is that our public policy makers haven't put a connection between old suburbs ---> new slums. The whole Putnam City area of NW OKC is starting to get that way even, which it had Edmond-like status just as recently as the 90s.

Right, but the premise is that suburbs aren't built to last. Del City was actually an extremely "desirable" suburb (a la Edmond today) when it was built in the 50s and 60s. Whoda thunk?

The problem is that our public policy makers haven't put a connection between old suburbs ---> new slums. The whole Putnam City area of NW OKC is starting to get that way even, which it had Edmond-like status just as recently as the 90s.

I remember when Putnam City Schools were the best in the city. They had top notch academic and sports programs. Not to mention, they had some of the best facilities in the city.

The problem that plagues the Putnam City area is there are way too many apartment complexes. Most of those complexes are section 8. There are some really beautiful homes off NW Expressway and Rockwell. Unfortunately, the area is suffering from careless land lords at the apartment complexes off Springbook Drive and Rockell and Britton.


Not to mention, people need to get out of the mindset of moving every time they pay off a house or the mortgage market is good. I am about to buy my first house (I have been looking in older neighborhoods in MWC) where ever I land I plan on living there until I die if I have any say so about it.

Right, but the premise is that suburbs aren't built to last. Del City was actually an extremely "desirable" suburb (a la Edmond today) when it was built in the 50s and 60s. Whoda thunk?

The problem is that our public policy makers haven't put a connection between old suburbs ---> new slums. The whole Putnam City area of NW OKC is starting to get that way even, which it had Edmond-like status just as recently as the 90s.

Do you mean early 90s, by mid 90s at football games there we were getting warnings about limiting where we went in the stadium and to get on the buses directly after (and received police escorts out), this was the only school it would happen.

oneofrone - if you're looking in MWC, the city is starting a massive effort to do work in the Original Mile (the neighborhood behind Town Center). They're putting in trails, re-doing infrastructure, signage, archways into the area, and the major one is working to touch everyone home in the neighborhood for renovation. I'm not sure how that part is working out, but you can check out the whole massice 125 page pdf on the MWC pages.

And Spartan, if it were up to you, no one would have left the tent city on land run day. Anything after that was suburban sprawl. Look at OCU...it was on on the outskirts of town when it was built...farms, and fields. Now it's basically considered downtown. So spare me the "suburban" b.s.

Mid-Del will never be "basically considered downtown."

I would argue that the African American community stands to gain a lot more by moving back west of I-35. NE 23rd has so much potential for improvement. MWC/Del City are only going to get worse. There are some rough roads in NE OKC, I'd rather see those fixed than Sooner Rd.

The community barely cares about the town, and if I did not work on the outskirts of MWC, I would never travel over here unless speeding through on the highway. They seem to make poor decisions around every corner.

The entire community needs to buy in to "fix" MWC / Del City and that just is not going to happen anytime soon. To bad the actual residents could care less about the city, or not being 70% ghetto, and the people with the drive to do anything are all Tinker transplants and probably dont care that much since they are only there for the base. MWC/DC may have been nice back in the day, but its been a long long time since that.

NE OKC is a better upcoming neighborhood. That community sees what it can be and seems to be working to make it a better place. It still is not awesome, but at least people are trying.

On a side note, I wish they would have widened Sooner road and put a turn lane down the center before they added the sidewalks. I work near Sooner and I240 and the traffic is awful in the mornings and after work. Everyone trying to leave MWC...

In Del City's defense they are starting to come online and buy into the concept of "Making your city a nice place to live and people will come in droves." The new police station, the bond issue for the new fire trucks and storm sirens and the new renovations to the Del City Community Center are just a few things they are doing to turn things around. They see what Midwest City did and how well it is paying off for them. The biggest problem facing Del City is the crime hotbed that is at there back door that Oklahoma City has yet to do anything about. The Bank of Oklahoma on the Oklahoma City side of 44th and Sunnylane has been robbed so many time I am surprised it has not closed. That has always bothered me about Oklahoma City. They dump money in the nice parts of the city and let others turn into slums.

I moved to Midwest City in 2007 against my wishes because my wives place was bigger when we got married. After a few weeks, I fell in love with it. It reminds me of a small town in many ways. Everybody is fairly social with one another and the drive around the city is always nice. Lots of trees, green grass and the city leaders have a desire to improve the whole city not just one or two parts of it. You feel secure because police are everywhere and they approachable. They make it a point to stop and talk to people. My first week living here, I had to go the police department to pull a background check on myself for work. I was waiting inside the police station and Chief Clabes came out and introduced himself. We spoke for a few minutes while he waited for Fox 25 to do interview with him. Very nice guy and it's clear he holds his officers to high standards.

I would argue against that notion OSU. That's entirely why the effort in The Original Mile has come about. And the idea that MWC is 70% ghetto is totally innaccurate. Oneforone's statement is something you'll find more accurate. The "outsiders" view of MWC is far from the reality of the place. Just because the homes are all in gated communities with stupid names (and there are still plenty of those in MWC as well), doesn't make it ghetto. What you will find is a community where people actually interact with each other. When you talk a walk a night (and you'll find FAR more people doing that around the neighborhoods in MWC than i've seen ANYWHERE else in OKC), people stop and talk or at least wave and say hello.

There's a perception problem for MWC, much like OKC has with the country. People that don't live there, don't know that it's a great place to be. And if you're only looking from Sooner to Douglas, and from 29th to Reno, then you're missing MOST of MWC. There's more rural land in MWC than developed by almost double. Most of the city is concentrated in that block. Most new development is in the eastern sides, but (and Spartan, you should like this) there is also plenty in-fill happening in the core. Neighborhoods have been developed in land that had been vacant for decades right next to existing neighborhoods. And part of the new TOM plan is to include mixed-use....what a concept for those stupid suburbs huh Spartan?

When you drive on the east side, you also have to be careful with knowing what town you're actually in as well. Some of the worst parts of the east side are actually Choctaw...ie on Anderson, south of Reno. So you have to be careful on what you think you are in when you're driving because the lines make some weird jogs out there.

You are probably correct on me misjudging MWC, judging it by its cover.

You should lay off steroetyping everyone who dislikes MWC as being an edmond or moore suburbanite. I live in the old core of downtown (23rd and penn) and see much more community involvment and friendliness than I do in MWC, and that is not a particularly nice place, but it is getting better every day thanks to the community.

My girlfriend lived in MWC (midwest and 10th area) for 3 years before moving with me to Gatewood and during that time several incidents occured in her neighborhood, or the crappy apartments nearby. Also, the community shows a very strong lack of care for its schools or its children. Theres a reason most of the schools are already or on the verge of being taken over by the state.

If you look at some of the old neighborhoods in downtown okc, you see a community push for revitalization. They are not sitting around waiting for it to happen. Look at paseo and plaza districts. They are turning around from ghetto to great neighborhoods.

Don't assume we are all gated neighborhood folks, and Ill stop assuming MWC is full of meth cooks and rapists...

Be clear....10th and north is in OKC schools. Not Mid-Del. North of 10th and you're basically in a whole other city.

I misspoke. She lived at midwest and reno.

Also, Pleasant Hill is a MWC school and it is at 36th and Sunnylane. MWC goes up to 23rd street, and they have schools further out than that.

Yeah, but Mid-Del has really weird lines. They cross into Choctaw and FAAAAR SE OKC. But not all of MWC. I think someone used a Spriograph when they made the district lines.

While I realize that school districts are generally separate entities from the communities, just seemed logical for a school district to be the same boundary lines as the city it is part of.
Want your kids to go to Edmond schools, you live in Edmond.
Norman = Norman.
OKC = OKC.
Putnam City = Putnam City (oops)

But it doesn't work that way...oh well