Western Avenue District

[Skyline]

I'm not sure if Western Avenue has it's own thread and if it does I apologize for creating this thread and please merge to the appropriate area.

http://www.visitwesternavenue.com/

Western Ave District ... Recently I have been spending a fair amount of time in this area especially on the south end of this district between N41st & N50th. I find this south end stretch of Western Ave. very interesting with a strong concentrated mix of retail, restaurants, bars, art, and services. My opinion is that this may be the best developed inner area district of Okc. However, Western Ave. seems to be missing something that would give it the final touch?

Walkability ...... I think the city of Okc needs to make the south end (between 40th - 50th) Western Ave district the top priority for new sidewalks, bicycle lanes and to rework the side street parking. Much like so many areas of Okc it is very unfriendly to pedestrians and cyclists. It is very difficult to walk in an area that should definitely be a walkable district.

This area is so close with all the private development already in place. It is only lacking the investment from the City to truly make this district shine even brighter.

[G.Walker]

I'm not sure if Western Avenue has it's own thread and if it does I apologize for creating this thread and please merge to the appropriate area.

http://www.visitwesternavenue.com/

Western Ave District ... Recently I have been spending a fair amount of time in this area especially on the south end of this district between N41st & N50th. I find this south end stretch of Western Ave. very interesting with a strong concentrated mix of retail, restaurants, bars, art, and services. My opinion is that this may be the best developed inner area district of Okc. However, Western Ave. seems to be missing something that would give it the final touch?

Walkability ...... I think the city of Okc needs to make the south end (between 40th - 50th) Western Ave district the top priority for new sidewalks, bicycle lanes and to rework the side street parking. Much like so many areas of Okc it is very unfriendly to pedestrians and cyclists. It is very difficult to walk in an area that should definitely be a walkable district.

This area is so close with all the private development already in place. It is only lacking the investment from the City to truly make this district shine even brighter.

I agree, this is a destination area for me on my lunch break, because I don't work that far from the area. There are unique restaurants and retail, but you are right in that its not pedestrian friendly. They should widen the streets with a center median for turning, 2 lanes on each side, and redo sidewalks and landscaping.

[lasomeday]

I agree, this is a destination area for me on my lunch break, because I don't work that far from the area. There are unique restaurants and retail, but you are right in that its not pedestrian friendly. They should widen the streets with a center median for turning, 2 lanes on each side, and redo sidewalks and landscaping.

G.Walker, really? Do you know what walkability means? 4 lanes and a median is not walkable. They just need to add sidewalks. Making the streets wider would require them to knock down the businesses you frequent.

[Just the facts]

G.Walker, really? Do you know what walkability means? 4 lanes and a median is not walkable. They just need to add sidewalks. Making the streets wider would require them to knock down the businesses you frequent.

If anything they need to narrow the streets, build sidewalks, put in traffic circles, and get rid of segragated zoning.

[Skyline]

If anything they need to narrow the streets, build sidewalks, put in traffic circles, and get rid of segragated zoning.

This is what I have in mind too. Narrow the streets, adding a bicycle lane, giving the Western Ave. properties a larger storefront area for outside dining / exhibits, while also having ample sidewalk widths for pedestrian strolling. There needs to be at least a couple of pedestrian crosswalks with flashing in-street lights too. Just giving this area a cohesive flow from one point to the other.

Okc is really missing out here, especially considering all the private investment that is already in place here. It seems like there are other Districts that have received much needed improvements, why not the Western Ave District?

[khook]

G walker wants to widen everything so whats there can be torn down and everything would have to start over.....we could revisit the sixties or just turn the whole area into a big parking lot......

[MDot]

I agree that Western Ave should be more pedestrian friendly. It's a really nice little area that deserves more attention.

[Urban Pioneer]

There is money in the 2007 bond issue to re-do Western from Shartel to I-44. I believe that it hhas been delayed because bonds have not sold as fast as they would hope due to the economy.

[BG918]

This needs to happen. I wonder if Chesapeake would help finance it? It would enhance the connection between their campus and this district as well as downtown.

2 lanes with bike lanes and wider sidewalks with on-street parking. It would really enhance that area of the city.

[Just the facts]

They need to pick an intersection and urbanize it. Narrow the road to one lane in each direction, put in on street parking, remove segregation style zoning restriction, put in bike lanes that reach into the surrounding residential areas, hang some decorative lights across the street, and add some midblock crosswalks - and see what happens.

[dankrutka]

I agree with all these suggestions (except make the street wider). There are so many new and upcoming areas being invested in, but a simple investment in this already established area would be well worth it.

[lasomeday]

The plaza district paid for their improvements out of their own pockets.

[ksearls]

Western is already 2 lanes south of 50th. It is perfect as is. Back off hipsters.

[MDot]

Western is already 2 lanes south of 50th. It is perfect as is. Back off hipsters.

Sorry... Unhipster? Lol

[onthestrip]

Western is already 2 lanes south of 50th. It is perfect as is. Back off hipsters.

Lol. But true, westerns streets are fine as it is

[Just the facts]

Western is already 2 lanes south of 50th. It is perfect as is. Back off hipsters.

That wasn't the part of Western we (at least I) was talking about, but you make a great point. Western between 41st and 46th already is two lanes and has on-street parking. Now it just needs some better sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic circles, and bicycle lanes connecting the adjacent neighborhoods. The goal should not be to make these places destinations people drive to from all over OKC, they should exist to serve the needs of the immediate neighborhoods. These types of commercial/retail clusters should exist all over the urban core every mile or so. This is what I mean when I say OKC needs to rebuild the traditional neighborhood model when I discuss mass transit strategies, but I digress.

[swilki]

The goal should not be to make these places destinations people drive to from all over OKC, they should exist to serve the needs of the immediate neighborhoods. These types of commercial/retail clusters should exist all over the urban core every mile or so. This is what I mean when I say OKC needs to rebuild the traditional neighborhood model when I discuss mass transit strategies, but I digress.

[ljbab728]

Now it just needs some better sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic circles, and bicycle lanes connecting the adjacent neighborhoods.

Yes to everything but traffic circles. Besides the fact that this area doesn't have room for them, traffic circles are not good anywhere in urban areas. We have had this discussion before.

[swilki]

The plaza district paid for their improvements out of their own pockets.

Wrong.

Someone correct me if I am wrong. Didn't the Plaza District get its start from concerned residents in the area who wrote grants and got the city on board?

I would also attribute much of the success of the Plaza District becoming what it is to the Plaza District Association (a nonprofit whose sole purpose is to revitalize the area). I know that the Western Ave businesses have some sort of association, but it isn't as developed as its counterpart in the Plaza. I don't even think the Western Ave association (or whatever it is) has a full-time, let alone part-time, person working for it.

I think all of the above ideas are great, sans the widening. Western really is a unique area and has been a stable area for restaurants and retail for quite sometime now. I think Crown Heights and some of the other neighborhoods in the area would be smart to be proactive in getting the city to make some of the suggested improvements.

[khook]

lasomeday I don't believe that the landowners paid for the street and lighting improvements that were made along 16th street. Maybe it is my misunderstanding of what you meant. If you meant that all the building improvements were made by the individual owners, I would agree with you on that point. But the sidewalks, planters, lighting and seating were all paid for by the city.

[betts]

There are sidewalks on much of Western between 36th and 50th, but there are so many driveways bisecting them that it makes the area feel less walkable. The other problem is that there are no stoplights. Pedestrians have to take their lives into their hands because people frequently drive 40 through there. I shop a lot in that area and even backing out from the angle parking in front of some of the stores is risky, much less trying to cross the street on foot.

[Just the facts]

There are sidewalks on much of Western between 36th and 50th, but there are so many driveways bisecting them that it makes the area feel less walkable. The other problem is that there are no stoplights. Pedestrians have to take their lives into their hands because people frequently drive 40 through there. I shop a lot in that area and even backing out from the angle parking in front of some of the stores is risky, much less trying to cross the street on foot.

That is why I suggested roundabouts at 41st and 46th. It slows the traffic down which makes it safer for everyone. I would even like to see mid-block crosswalks that have the yellow crossing lights like they have in London. As for all the driveways, that section would need to be completely reworked. It needs to be road, parking, large sidewalk, store front. Right now it is road, sidewalk, parking, small sidewalk, store front.

[Urban Pioneer]

Well again, the 2007 bond issue Western Ave project that has not started yet is all about walkability. In fact, it is my understanding that it will change very little of the street itself (remains two lanes) and focuses more on sidewalks, landscaping, and monuments. We are working a little bit on it.

[Just the facts]

Well again, the 2007 bond issue Western Ave project that has not started yet is all about walkability. In fact, it is my understanding that it will change very little of the street itself (remains two lanes) and focuses more on sidewalks, landscaping, and monuments. We are working a little bit on it.

That is good to know, now we just need to get rid of the zoning restrictions. It would also be nice if the commercial activity wasn't restricted to just Western but went down the side streets as well.

[Spartan]

That is good to know, now we just need to get rid of the zoning restrictions. It would also be nice if the commercial activity wasn't restricted to just Western but went down the side streets as well.

There are nice houses on both sides of the street though? (granted, some streets that are less nice, too, but it's mostly pretty nice)