We had a golden opportunity to fully cap the highway, extend the canal through the COOP property and the Wheeler District, and dedicate 1/2 a B to an elite aquarium next to The Scissortail Park.

Instead, we've seemingly settled for a large dose of AOC style handouts and low impact, underfunded projects which will neither raise the profile of the City nor provide a meaningful ROI to the taxpayers.

You see the addition that Atlanta is putting in their aquarium? What makes you think OKC's would be even marginal compared to it, let alone elite?

You see the addition that Atlanta is putting in their aquarium? What makes you think OKC's would be even marginal compared to it, let alone elite?

It doesn't need to be better than Atlanta's. Anything close to $500M would put it in the top 5 nationally.

But, I agree, those bike lanes and new street lights will be so awesome!

We had a golden opportunity to fully cap the highway, extend the canal through the COOP property and the Wheeler District, and dedicate 1/2 a B to an elite aquarium next to The Scissortail Park.

Instead, we've seemingly settled for a large dose of AOC style handouts and low impact, underfunded projects which will neither raise the profile of the City nor provide a meaningful ROI to the taxpayers.

AOC? Surely a New York freshman member of Congress didnt get referenced in a OKC Maps discussion, did she?

AOC? Surely a New York freshman member of Congress didnt get referenced in a OKC Maps discussion, did she?

I think she invented “handouts” last year. You didn’t hear?

P.S. Everyone make sure to use “handouts” when referring to people in poverty and use “investments” when discussing corporate welfare, bailouts, loopholes, and regressive taxation. /s

Yeah, such a weird and unnecessary turn in discussion. Very misguided and unfortunate on chucks part.

Thought I'd post this recent video about the the ten best highway lids in the US:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp0faVOdf2c

^^^
Cool video. I remember some discussions on this board about the lid/development in Columbus, Ohio as a reasonable model for OKC.

He did another lid video:

https://youtu.be/K6xyOCEpAVU

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/link3.jpg

[/center]

I really wish they could've kept this plan instead of just widening the 10th Street bridge a few feet. Love the city, but some of the planners really do cut to the smallest dollar they can possibly pay. I'm willing to bet that they would've just expanded one side of the bridge if they felt they could get away with it publicly.

Maybe starting with the widening of 10th can lead to more if it is well executed and received

Maybe starting with the widening of 10th can lead to more if it is well executed and received

If they're going by reception, then they've already hit the negative mark with all the downgrades in the planning phase. They should've already started with the bottom half of the picture above. Building something up, then tearing it back down to add more to it is counterproductive and a total waste of funds. There's a reason why in every business, you get it done right the first time, because anymore times after are going to get increasingly more expensive.

Throughout mankind's history, we've built to inspire further growth, be it a town, a business, a bridge, or even a legacy. What does it look like to locals if the city is only going to go through with the bare minimum of improvement without any thought to the future? You see it here on these forums every time they pave a street, then cut it back open to do some maintenance work on utilities within five months, have the road closed for four months, then open it back up with a simple patch job that turns into a pothole in three years or less. That's called being shortsighted, and I'd be pissed off as a tax payer to know that the city is blowing through some of my earnings to complete a project just to decomplete that same project within the year.

If people saw the rendering of a simply widened bridge with plants on it, there would be so many complaints that this would still be in the drafting phase. Hence, don't put out anything like this if you know there's going to be a drastic reduction of this vision. All that does is piss people off of future projects that actually could be substantial and make them all the more cynical should something get puts in a render.

I really wish they could've kept this plan instead of just widening the 10th Street bridge a few feet. Love the city, but some of the planners really do cut to the smallest dollar they can possibly pay. I'm willing to bet that they would've just expanded one side of the bridge if they felt they could get away with it publicly.
But see they cut the plan back before this new federal money for reconnecting communities was approved so they need to revisit it. I’m sure we’re still a good 2-3+ years from this breaking ground.

But see they cut the plan back before this new federal money for reconnecting communities was approved so they need to revisit it. I’m sure we’re still a good 2-3+ years from this breaking ground.

I sure hope they do. But knowing the state, they'll probably look to invest that money elsewhere.

I'd love to see the I-235 cap happen but I would need to be convinced that it is an appropriate use of the reconnecting communities funds. What communities are left that this cap would connect, particularly on the innovation district side of the highway?

Arkansas got a grant to further their park cap over I-30 as part of the expansion project happening downtown. Granted it’s just to move it into study phase but it shows that there is money being given out from the infrastructure bill for park caps, specifically to help connect communities separated by freeways.

https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/us-dept-of-transportation-awards-little-rock-2m-grant-for-deck-park-over-i-30/

It’d be better if we aimed for the original, more ambitious proposal.

$185 million to help connect neighborhoods severed by highways, infrastructure (https://wapo.st/41AEUfN) (gift link, should work for non-subscribers)

Grants for the Reconnecting Communities program are starting to be awarded.

Arkansas got a grant to further their park cap over I-30 as part of the expansion project happening downtown. Granted it’s just to move it into study phase but it shows that there is money being given out from the infrastructure bill for park caps, specifically to help connect communities separated by freeways.

https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/us-dept-of-transportation-awards-little-rock-2m-grant-for-deck-park-over-i-30/

It’d be better if we aimed for the original, more ambitious proposal.

Kansas City has an initiative for a similar park cap over I-670 and I-35. They call it the "South Loop Link" or "South Loop Park Project".

I know we all want the cap over I-235 but there is another example I'd like to offer that cut the existing Black Community, I-35 from appx N 10th to around N 23rd.

For all the stated reasons in the WP, I-35 and later I-235 were built and cut off black communities in OKC. The proposed "Innovation Link" cap isn't even in Deep Deuce or JFK but north of them. ... Again, I know we're looking for a modern cap over I-235 but the federal govt is looking to repair communities, and IMO the I-235 black community (you know, Deep Deuce+JFK) is beyond repair from a 'Black Community' prospective as it's in full gentrification. For that reason I don't think it will qualify for a Biden style grant but a ca[ at I-35 at the existing Black Community will.

Anyway, just wanted to throw that out there after reading the WP article and concluding that OKC's I-235 Innovation Link cap isn't a community repair but a redevelopment of a gentrified community.

I know we all want the cap over I-235 but there is another example I'd like to offer that cut the existing Black Community, I-35 from appx N 10th to around N 23rd.

For all the stated reasons in the WP, I-35 and later I-235 were built and cut off black communities in OKC. The proposed "Innovation Link" cap isn't even in Deep Deuce or JFK but north of them. ... Again, I know we're looking for a modern cap over I-235 but the federal govt is looking to repair communities, and IMO the I-235 black community (you know, Deep Deuce+JFK) is beyond repair from a 'Black Community' prospective as it's in full gentrification. For that reason I don't think it will qualify for a Biden style grant but a ca[ at I-35 at the existing Black Community will.

Anyway, just wanted to throw that out there after reading the WP article and concluding that OKC's I-235 Innovation Link cap isn't a community repair but a redevelopment of a gentrified community.

What would fall in line to what you are describing is activating the rail line (as an addition to the streetcar) that runs just south of 1st street from Kelley under 235 through deep deuce over to EK Gaylord and up to connect at Broadway and 4th.

This would activate the neighborhood that has been decimated with no investment and provide ease of access to both Deep Deuce, Bricktown, Downtown and Medical complex.

double post

couldn't agree more and we should do that and the cap at 10th/I-235; just only stating the "Black Community" part of it no longer exists and that seems to be the basis of Biden's grants.

Tulsa got a $1.6 million grant to look into removing I-244 through Greenwood.

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/federal-grant-awarded-to-study-removal-of-part-of-i-244-through-greenwood/article_cea9034e-b78f-11ed-8dd0-ab3bd867d4f9.html

couldn't agree more and we should do that and the cap at 10th/I-235; just only stating the "Black Community" part of it no longer exists and that seems to be the basis of Biden's grants.

Just stop the political trolling.

im not trolling just stating what appears to be a focus of the federal government that we can't live up to with the I-235 cap.

im not trolling just stating what appears to be a focus of the federal government that we can't live up to with the I-235 cap.

I think it is more about having a "compelling reason" of reconnecting cities divided.... Only three applications mention "minorities" and maybe 18/45 mention 'black" in reference to Race.

DoT comment randomly selected by random number generator (in addition to Tulsa)
Tulsa: The application provides a compelling depiction of how a historic Black neighborhood in Tulsa suffered the punishing effects of urban renewal and the building of I-244. The application hasclear community support and 20 support letters.

Atlanta: This project could result in more transit, walking, and biking trips through prioritizing zero and lower carbon modes of travel within the project area. Additional private resources will go to events programming, curation of public art, and celebration of the history and legacy of the area that encapsulates the history of more than 24,000 individuals displaced in the construction and subsequent widening of the I-75/I-85 Downtown Connector

Long Branch, NJ: Key design integrations in the project will include green spaces, illuminated art installations, and a mural and mosaic panel in the tunnel station connection that create an opportunity to celebrate local culture through visual art. Additionally, there will be a new plaza that will offer a community space to residents. A project labor agreement will ensure the creation of good-paying union jobs and workforce development initiatives focused on underrepresented groups will also be utilized.

SLC: The project seeks to enhance active modes that reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the consideration for safe accommodation. The project provides substantial detail about partnerships with commitment letters. The city is creating a housing trust and, if new land is opened up, affordable housing would be a part of future redevelopment. The project intends to incorporate local art installations aligned with local vision.

im not trolling just stating what appears to be a focus of the federal government that we can't live up to with the I-235 cap.

It isn’t about race, though that’s what you focused on. It is about the displacement and sadly many lower class and minority neighborhoods have been replaced with expressways tearing them apart. Less political resistance to ripping them up originally and depressed land prices to acquire.

That 10th & Oklahoma tower rendering that was posted a couple days ago had me thinking about this project. Is there any chance of something still happening with this or did it completely die out? Even that scaled down version would be nice….

That 10th & Oklahoma tower rendering that was posted a couple days ago had me thinking about this project. Is there any chance of something still happening with this or did it completely die out? Even that scaled down version would be nice….

The current plan is just to add bike lanes and some landscaping to the 10th Street bridge; funded by MAPS 4.