OKC Boulevard

[Rover]

Best looking medians I see in OKC are ones adopted by companies or some organized group. Maybe Omni and the new apt. building will adopt these.

[HangryHippo]

Best looking medians I see in OKC are ones adopted by companies or some organized group. Maybe Omni and the new apt. building will adopt these.

The ones taken care of (?) by OKC Beautiful by Penn Square Mall look really good.

[shawnw]

OKC Beautiful _does_ have a contract with the parks department to maintain some medians.

[Rover]

Up by Chesapeake are nice too because they are adopted spaces. Lots of nice Crepe Myrtles, all trimmed and healthy.

[Buffalo Bill]

The first block of the current boulevard project is open:

https://www.ok.gov/triton/modules/ne...ticle_id=44250

[catch22]

The first block of the current boulevard project is open:

https://www.ok.gov/triton/modules/ne...ticle_id=44250

Just in time for lane closures for the Omni hotel, Blvd Place, and Convention Center

[Pete]

[Pete]

The section between Robinson and Hudson is now open.

This is the west end, with the Classen/Western intersection in the foreground:

[Ross MacLochness]

^^makes my brain hurt

[shawnw]

I do like that they're opening up each section as it's ready vs waiting until the whole middle segment is done.

[CuatrodeMayo]

The photo says it all.


https://newsok.com/article/5607259/o...-for-commuters

[HangryHippo]

The photo says it all.


https://newsok.com/article/5607259/o...-for-commuters

Yep. Tremendous waste.

[dcsooner]

Yep. Tremendous waste.

Please explain??? Overbuilding? not enough traffic demand? what

[stile99]

Let's get it out of our systems now, so the next time Pete posts an update, we don't have to go through the same whining each time we go through each time Pete posts an update.

"Bad design, what a bunch of maroons, can't believe it, SMH, etc etc etc." There, we good? Or are we going to lather/rinse/repeat?

[dankrutka]

Sam Anderson's Boom Town has a nice section that talks about the ineptitude of Jim Couch in regards to urban projects. According to the book, he measures everything by how fast he can get home in his car. He's completely dismissive of the Better Boulevard group and resistance calling them something like a "few people on social media." He even justified the need for two highways going through downtown in case there was a wreck on one then the other could prevent slow downs... Lol. He also seems to be completely out of touch with urban design or different perspectives as he doesn't even seem to realize when people disagree with him. Of course, most of this has been reported on this board already. Yet, Couch is the longest serving city manager ever... Why can't OKC get a city manager with knowledge of urban design for, you know, the urban areas?

[dankrutka]

double post

[Jersey Boss]

Follow the money. Usually a good place to start.

[TheTravellers]

Follow the money. Usually a good place to start.

And the good ol' boy thing... I've been wishing Couch would be gone for a long time, he's been city mgr for waaaaaaaaaaay too long.

[5alive]

Looking at Pete's pic...instead of the overpass being built at the Classen/Western area, wouldn't a beautifully designed traffic circle have worked just as well and would have been a lot less expensive.

[shawnw]

Oh boy here we go it's five years ago again...

[dankrutka]

Oh boy here we go it's five years ago again...

To be fair, this isn’t a settled issue. Once ODOT finishes building this, there is already talk of OKC tearing it back up and fixing mistakes. So, the discussion is kind of relevant as there’s already talk off changing it once it’s done.

[SEMIweather]

To be fair, this isn’t a settled issue. Once ODOT finishes building this, there is already talk of OKC tearing it back up and fixing mistakes. So, the discussion is kind of relevant as there’s already talk off changing it once it’s done.

As there should be. Putting a giant overpass in between Film Row and the Farmers Market already seems shortsighted, and it's not a decision that's going to look better over time...

[Urbanized]

In fairness that photo will look very different once the south side of the street is fronted by the Omni plus housing and retail space, and the north side may also eventually be fronted by strorefront windows (according to plan). But yeah, the road itself is going to need help.

[CloudDeckMedia]

I’ve not followed the OKC Boulevard closely, but @dankrutka’s post yesterday and my reading “Boom Town” have brought it to mind. Has the entire boulevard been returned to grade, or will there be some elevated portions? What will be the speed limit and traffic controls? Were bike lanes & pedestrian-friendly elements incorporated? How about landscaping & aesthetics? And what exactly is its PURPOSE? Thanks for the refresher everyone.

[Pete]

The only part above grade is the overpass that will span Classen/Western, as you can see in my last drone photo in post #783.

As for the purpose, there was a lot of strong-arming by the usual downtown suspects who want cars to move in and out of the CBD as easily as possible. Many advocated for just restoring the street grid, as we already have plenty of E/W thorough fares.