I don't undersand why city leaders think that everything needs to be named Oklahoma City this or Oklahoma that. We get it. It's Oklahoma City. Don't beat us over the head with it.

To be fair, every time I drive down 39th Expressway and cross Tulsa Ave., I have that brief moment of panic of "wha? where?". At least I don't think I'm in far north Canada when I cross the river anymore.

Oklahoma City is too big to micromanage. ...time to more on.

We are only trying to manage about 4 sq. miles. As far as I am concerned the rest of the City can do whatever they want because I have already written it off as a total loss.

We are only trying to manage about 4 sq. miles. As far as I am concerned the rest of the City can do whatever they want because I have already written it off as a total loss.

That's too bad. There are many great parts of the city in which to live. But, I understand the narrow perspective like this...many in this city share it and that unfortunately stymies much progress.

We are only trying to manage about 4 sq. miles. As far as I am concerned the rest of the City can do whatever they want because I have already written it off as a total loss.

I don't think it's a total loss at all, but, yes, we do have to manage at least a small part of it in a way to diversify the living options in Oklahoma City. It's just that it makes sense to do that downtown where the infrastructure is already more conducive to it, if we use it right, and it is centrally located to give the best access to the most people to any large public assets paid for by all the people in the city. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with the abundance of suburban living in Oklahoma City. But what sucks is that, for a very long time, if you wanted to live in Oklahoma City you lived in a suburban environment by choice. There was no other option. The objective should be to provide an urban environment that is available for all in the city to use if they choose. But to do that it does take focused management and planning. We get that only erratically at this point.

It is interesting to me that there is a seeming willingness on the part of City Staff to consider taking the keys for the new boulevard and rip out what isn't liked and install a Project 180 style design. Quite frankly, if that's what it takes, I am glad we fought for the major attributes that are being retained such as key four-way intersections at critical junctures and eliminating the 3,500' of concrete bridge.

Bob and I met this morning about it. There is a great deal of good that can occur on this alignment in the future. It is not the "grid" that many people wanted, but it can become a "grand" street from Reno to EK Gaylord should the city be willing to line item fixing the pedestrian issues, finish materials, overall width, and aesthetics in the next GO Bond issue in 2017.

The part that has been completed however, is pretty much a runway. A great drag strip elevated on an earthen dike. It's been fun in the Mustang to say the least.

Crosstown Blvd was better than OKC Boulevard. I like Ridley's Folly personally.

Ralph Ellison is internationally known. I think the city would be well off to associate with his name. Ellison Way or Ellison Avenue. Oklahoma City Blvd is so very generic and bad.

My comment about Cornett Blvd was a joke...I guess some people missed that.....ie Ron Norrick Blvd.

Anyway....

As the thing started going up, it's hard to not look at it in Bricktown and think, "didn't we JUST tear down an elevated road on that same path". Granted it's hard to work around the canal without going over it somewhere, but it seems like there's an awful lot of elevated road still. I've never been a fan of the access paths of the new I-40 to downtown and it's even more of a disaster right now with construction and whatnot, so I'm crossing my fingers that the blvd can help take some pressure off. I almost with Western and Broadway were given a clean path with no stoplights and blocked off the side streets in about half of the crossings, but I know that will never happen.

This city continues to disrespect its greatest native son, Lon Cheney Jr, by not naming this thing "Wolfman Road".

No matter how pedestrian friendly the middle section becomes the land it consumes will never be returned to the tax rolls and the pavement will need constant maintenance in a part of town where the City already can't afford to properly maintain the streets,

Reality is that we need more revenue and less stuff to spend it on. This boulevard does the opposite.

It is interesting to me that there is a seeming willingness on the part of City Staff to consider taking the keys for the new boulevard.

The city has had the keys to the boulevard for at least the past 10 years.

That Bricktown segment is total failure multiplied by infinity and is going to have to be torn down eventually. I have the hardest time believing that got approved.

So how would you have done it? I see a railroad that needs to be bridged (unless you want traffic backed up onto the interstate when a train crosses). You would have to drop the elevation quite a bit in a short stretch to have intersections with the 2 roads south of Bass Pro, It seems to me it was practical to just bridge it to just west of the canal. I have reserved judgment until I see whether there are embellishments that make it prettier than the standard bridge.

You don't build it at all, that's how you do it. The "Boulevard" is redundant. And it's all being built with your money.

You don't build it at all, that's how you do it. The "Boulevard" is redundant. And it's all being built with your money.

Not to mention the new ramp leading to it will make I-235 north bound even worse in the afternoons. There are too many on and off ramps too close to each other.

Its funny how they only builds a couple of major access points downtown from I-40 because of ramp clearance, but when it comes to BLVD they ignore ramp clearance for a new exit ramp.

To be fair, every time I drive down 39th Expressway and cross Tulsa Ave., I have that brief moment of panic of "wha? where?". At least I don't think I'm in far north Canada when I cross the river anymore.

I really Lol'd

I don't know why they don't just call it "I40 on ramp" or "I40 expressway"

Not to mention the new ramp leading to it will make I-235 north bound even worse in the afternoons. There are too many on and off ramps too close to each other.

I can't believe the clusterf*ck they've managed to turn that interchange into. It's going to be an absolute nightmare. ODOT's engineers ought to be shot.

Las Vegas has a boulevard named after it and it turned out to do pretty well

Las Vegas has a boulevard named after it and it turned out to do pretty well

Las Vegas is a world-renowned tourist destination. The name of the city is also a well-established, positively perceived brand across the globe.

This wont even be a boulevard, it's actually a highway business bypass 'I-40 BUS'. But I digress.

I agree it should be named after a person or symbolic of Oklahoma City, like 'Ralph Ellison Boulevard'. I personally also like 'Central Boulevard' if they just have to be generic about it.

Even 'Russell Westbrook Avenue' or 'Kevin Durant Parkway' is better than 'Oklahoma City Blvd'! :Smiley122 lol just kidding, but still.

This wont even be a boulevard, it's actually a highway business bypass 'I-40 BUS'. But I digress.

I agree it should be named after a person or symbolic of Oklahoma City, like 'Ralph Ellison Boulevard'. I personally also like 'Central Boulevard' if they just have to be generic about it.

Even 'Russell Westbrook Avenue' or 'Kevin Durant Parkway' is better than 'Oklahoma City Blvd'! :Smiley122 lol just kidding, but still.

The SuperSonics Blvd

You don't build it at all, that's how you do it. The "Boulevard" is redundant. And it's all being built with your money.

So if I'm coming to Bricktown from the east or south, where do I exit? Continue on North 235 and take the Sheridan exit? That one lane cloverleaf will back up pretty rapidly. If not there, then the next exit is 10th. A long way to double back down 2 lane Walnut. Continue on I40? Then you have to double back on Robinson.

And leaving? Even worse.

Sure, it could have been better, but to say nothing should have been built there is

So if I'm coming to Bricktown from the east or south, where do I exit? Continue on North 235 and take the Sheridan exit? That one lane cloverleaf will back up pretty rapidly. If not there, then the next exit is 10th. A long way to double back down 2 lane Walnut. Continue on I40? Then you have to double back on Robinson.

And leaving? Even worse.

Sure, it could have been better, but to say nothing should have been built there is

Coming exit on Robinson. Leaving exit on Shields. You're 1 block max from Bricktown either direction.

The SuperSonics Blvd

We Stole Your Elephants Too Blvd? lol

If you're looking for a good comparison for how the "Boulevard" could have been, check out Lancaster Ave in Fort Worth, west of the highway "mixmaster". I believe an elevated portion of I-30 once ran through here recently and that was torn down and replaced with an at grade road with nice landscaping and pedestrian facilities...oh and it connects into the grid system at every intersection.

http://library.ite.org/pub/e1cfead8-2354-d714-5168-ca47b8cb643d

We Stole Your Elephants Too Blvd? lol

We also got your Boeing Engineers Blvd...

So if I'm coming to Bricktown from the east or south, where do I exit? Continue on North 235 and take the Sheridan exit? That one lane cloverleaf will back up pretty rapidly. If not there, then the next exit is 10th. A long way to double back down 2 lane Walnut. Continue on I40? Then you have to double back on Robinson.

And leaving? Even worse.

Sure, it could have been better, but to say nothing should have been built there is

I take that one lane cloverleaf nearly everyday, and it is absolutely never, ever backed up. Not ever.

Sure, exit on 10th, you're still barely a mile away from Bricktown.

Sure, you can go west on I-40, there are multiple exits which then take you into bricktown within minutes.

Maybe it's just me but none of the points you mentioned sound like justification to waste millions of dollars building an ugly slab of concrete that's totally unnecessary in the first place.

The Blvd will be the great entry into downtown OKC. Once this is all done we will wonder how we ever lived without it.

The Blvd will be the great entry into downtown OKC. Once this is all done we will wonder how we ever lived without it.

You ARE being facetious....right?

hehe

We also got your Boeing Engineers Blvd...

And Soon Well Take More than That! Blvd

The failure is the primise that Bricktown should be configured for easy automobile access. How does one get from the south or east? I don't care. If it's inconvenient ask the city to make commuter rail a higher priority.

The failure is the premise that Bricktown should be configured for easy automobile access.

I can see how that was the case at the very dawn of Bricktown, since hardly anyone lived in the core of OKC - and few if any had any interest in promoting walkability and urbanism. However with the residential population of downtown drastically higher than it's ever been (and growing at a rapid clip), the BLVD is nothing but a waste and an eyesore. It's time we make Bricktown what it was meant to be, rather than what it needed to be a decade ago.

I don't undersand why city leaders think that everything needs to be named Oklahoma City this or Oklahoma that. We get it. It's Oklahoma City. Don't beat us over the head with it.

There will be someone that wants to build the Oklahoma City Tower so that they can get their mail at:

Oklahoma City Tower
Oklahoma City BLVD
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma County
Oklahoma

It will forever be known as the OKOKOKOKOK Building.

There will be someone that wants to build the Oklahoma City Tower so that they can get their mail at:

Oklahoma City Tower
Oklahoma City BLVD
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma County
Oklahoma

It will forever be known as the OKOKOKOKOK Building.

yGUNrHWZaVs

The failure is the primise that Bricktown should be configured for easy automobile access.

Sure, let's not make it easy for people who live outside of 5 miles, suburbanites or tourists to get to Bricktown.:noldus:

Sure, let's not make it easy for people who live outside of 5 miles, suburbanites or tourists to get to Bricktown.:noldus:

Businesses in downtown and Bricktown are still heavily reliant on suburbanites. Many of the bars/restaurants all of us love in downtown OKC could not stay in business if they only had the 5,000 or so people actually living downtown as a customer base. An easy way in and out of downtown from the suburbs is still very necessary and will ensure the continued success of Bricktown and other districts going forward.

Businesses in downtown and Bricktown are still heavily reliant on suburbanites. Many of the bars/restaurants all of us love in downtown OKC could not stay in business if they only had the 5,000 or so people actually living downtown as a customer base. An easy way in and out of downtown from the suburbs is still very necessary and will ensure the continued success of Bricktown and other districts going forward.

Wait so you are saying that they aren't getting there now because there is not an easy way in? Why are we trying to fix something that isn't broken? We don't need to make anything easier. It's already easy enough. Thousands of people can get downtown already with absolutely no problem. Someone please tell me what the hell is wrong with the current setup?

Does anyone currently have actual problems getting into downtown? [Not parking]

:banghead:

There will be someone that wants to build the Oklahoma City Tower so that they can get their mail at:

Oklahoma City Tower
Oklahoma City BLVD
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma County
Oklahoma

It will forever be known as the OKOKOKOKOK Building.

If I ever move into my apartment, I will live on Oklahoma Ave. And I also work in Oklahoma Tower, so I'm not too far away from that. :)

If history repeats itself; the name game can generate revenue for the city. The Ford Center was called Oklahoma City Arena before the rights were sold to Chesapeake.

That is because the city gave the naming rights of the facility to the Thunder (which is stupid).

The Blvd will be the great entry into downtown OKC. Once this is all done we will wonder how we ever lived without it.

It's garbage plain and simple.

Granted it's hard to work around the canal without going over it somewhere, but it seems like there's an awful lot of elevated road still.

True, but the canal is crossed by several streets that did not require 40' stilts

The failure is the primise that Bricktown should be configured for easy automobile access. How does one get from the south or east? I don't care. If it's inconvenient ask the city to make commuter rail a higher priority.

The ironic thing is - if you walk from AA to DD to BT, BT is BY FAR (IMO) the least dense, least urban, and least walkable area in the core. With places like Broadway 10, Blue Garten, Sidecar, and many others, we have much more continuity between MT to AA, and AA is so close to DD. With so many great options elsewhere, we never even consider going to BT anyway, so if ODOT really wants to build their folly somewhere, may as well be close to BT - and not where people actually want density and walkability.

Funny then that Jeff Speck called Bricktown the MOST walkable of our districts.

Was that like 2007?

Was that like 2007?

2009 actually. But even with all of the changes that have taken place since, there is very little that does not apply in the report. I challenge you to read it in its entirety, as I myself have done a number of times since its release.

In fact I think everyone associated with downtown development - whether in the public or private sector - should refer to it with regularity. It contains mostly universal truths, and is in some places shockingly prescient, even today. The topic of this thread, the boulevard, can be found in the section "Mistakes About to be Made."

Unfortunately great advice like this is often the study du jour and soon relegated to the dustbin. Of all consultants reports the City has received post MAPS, this one should be given the most regular ongoing consideration.

You can read it here: http://www.okc.gov/planning/resources/okcspeckfinal.pdf

I am going to try and get photos soon, but man what a disappointment this is so far (as expected).

The area near BassPro is identical to the removed I-40 and is equally as barrier-creating.

I am going to try and get photos soon, but man what a disappointment this is so far (as expected).

The area near BassPro is identical to the removed I-40 and is equally as barrier-creating.

Yeah its awful. Not sure how else they could have done it, other than not having it. Its just not visually appealing at all, and like you said its going to cause other negative barrier effects.

It looks like they are finally at-grade just in front of Toby Keith's.

ODOT's Folly in east Bricktown looks like a freeway nightmare straight out of the 70's. I cannot believe the waste of taxpayer money to create that eyesore. What a disappointment!! And no renderings by ODOT have shown a speck of grass anywhere that I've seen, much less the wide grassy median with paths, chairs and tables in renderings that were flashed before our eyes a few years ago. Some "boulevard".

Hey, I understand you don't like the BLVD. I get it and that's great. Can you please take that discussion to Friends for a Better BLVD. and leave this thread for pictures and updates and I promise not to come in that thread and discuss how much I love this BLVD. Thanks :)

Maybe you should start a new thread like Friends for the Crappy Blvd if you can't handle the reality that is blows and everybody knows it.


2009 actually. But even with all of the changes that have taken place since, there is very little that does not apply in the report. I challenge you to read it in its entirety, as I myself have done a number of times since its release.

In fact I think everyone associated with downtown development - whether in the public or private sector - should refer to it with regularity. It contains mostly universal truths, and is in some places shockingly prescient, even today. The topic of this thread, the boulevard, can be found in the section "Mistakes About to be Made."

Unfortunately great advice like this is often the study du jour and soon relegated to the dustbin. Of all consultants reports the City has received post MAPS, this one should be given the most regular ongoing consideration.

You can read it here: http://www.okc.gov/planning/resources/okcspeckfinal.pdf

Thanks for this post. I agree with you. Jeff Speck made some valuable insights here. He honestly did a better job with OKC than many other cities, and that says a lot for him. OKC hasn't even challenged ODOT one bit to follow the report.

Dude I started this thread specifically for updates so take this urbanism crap to the other thread. This title specifically says construction updates. Thanks man.

If you want reality the majority of cities I've seen and researched have boulevards that feed from highways into downtowns and it's about time OKC got one. Just because a forum that represents 0.1 percent of the views of OKC doesn't like the blvd doesn't change the fact the blvd will be well used and enjoyed by 99% of the population of OKC who live in the suburbs. I'm glad ODOT is taking this initiative and building great infrastructure additions to OKC.

Now, if you disagree fine. Let's please take discussion of whether you like the BLVD or not to the friends for a better blvd thread and keep this thread for construction and picture updates like described in the title. Thank you in advance.

How about "Construction Update: They are now working on the part of the boulevard behind the Uhaul building. It still looks terrible."

Dude I started this thread specifically for updates so take this urbanism crap to the other thread. This title specifically says construction updates. Thanks man.

If you want reality the majority of cities I've seen and researched have boulevards that feed from highways into downtowns and it's about time OKC got one. Just because a forum that represents 0.1 percent of the views of OKC doesn't like the blvd doesn't change the fact the blvd will be well used and enjoyed by 99% of the population of OKC who live in the suburbs. I'm glad ODOT is taking this initiative and building great infrastructure additions to OKC.

Now, if you disagree fine. Let's please take discussion of whether you like the BLVD or not to the friends for a better blvd thread and keep this thread for construction and picture updates like described in the title. Thank you in advance.

That thread is irrelevant now since the final design has been decided and approved. Like it or not this is now the thread regarding all things about the boulevard. There isn't going to be a better boulevard, this is what we have.

It is not irrelevant. Do you know what a construction update is?

It is not irrelevant. Do you know what a construction update is?

Yes, its called ODOT if you want an update without any opinion.. I don't know how you expect people to not give their opinion on what's actually being built in real time. Almost every thread about a building or project currently being built has something either commenting how they hate or love it.

Dude holy crap man. ODOT isn't giving updates. If we used your logic there would be no reason to have people post pictures at all because "it's called watching the news."

Just stick to posting f:cking updates and pictures of the construction and leave the opinions at the other thread. I don't understand why that is so hard for you to comprehend?

It isn't just giving an opinion, this thread is literally how the same people who have a predictable response have hijacked it and over 80% of the posts are just people bitching. Just stop.

It isn't just giving an opinion, this thread is literally how the same people who have a predictable response have hijacked it and over 80% of the posts are just people bitching. Just stop.

The irony.

Can't we all just get alonggggggg?????? :Smiley122