OKC Boulevard

[BoulderSooner]

The did not want to build the proposed roundabout. Extraordinarily dinasouric thinking by engineers.

or just keep it as a 5 way intersection which would also work fine and wouldn't have added much cost ..

not doing either is amazing

[Plutonic Panda]

Has anyone submitted the reconstruction of this albatross for MAPS 4 (serious question)?

I have. I submitted a detailed proposal with renderings attached made by a former OKCTalk poster.

[BDP]

or just keep it as a 5 way intersection which would also work fine and wouldn't have added much cost ..

not doing either is amazing

... and on top of that, what in the world is that little inlet just east of the Conoco sign that leads to a weird... I don't know... cul-de-sac? Are they connecting that to Exchange?

It's like they had leftover concrete and were like "eh, okay... here's that 'connection' to Exchange you asked for..."

[Pete]

^

Yeah, it goes through to Exchange.

It's beyond strange.

[BDP]

^

Yeah, it goes through to Exchange.

It's beyond strange.

I'm starting to think that that's their "answer" to keeping Exchange technically open at Reno. But that's obviously not very functional. IMO, the important part of exchange at that point is the role it plays from downtown, more so than to downtown, and if they're asking people to make an unprotected left there off Reno, then you're just backing traffic up into the intersection, which is now a very important access route to/from I-40. I mean, I would even assume that such a turn would be illegal.

In a way, doing nothing there, and just having it end may be better than that little turn right next to the big intersection, and then just route Stockyards traffic to Klein through the Farmer's Market.

Will west bound Boulevard traffic have access to Klein in that direction? That's basically where it goes from street mode to freeway mode, and I can't remember what it looks like right there...

[Ross MacLochness]

Another example of the City checking boxes and not living the actual experience. Kinda like our downtown bike lanes: We have them! But they don't go anywhere and don't increase safety.

[SEMIweather]

Maybe until a serious investment from the city for the Farmers Market district is in store then yeah. It isn't all bad. Some disconnect can be good and create a districts own funk. The Arts District in LA is separated by a development barrier of sorts and a bad bad homeless area as I'm sure you know and eventually through a new subway proposal among other things the city is looking to connect it with downtown. The Farmers Market area can be looked at the same way and it will surely development regardless of a wide elevated boulevard so as long as the city keeps it momentum.

OKC had no problem laying new concrete down for P180 and tearing it up shortly after for streetcar installation. Perhaps if MAPS 4 happens a MAPS 5 project could be a reconstruction of the boulevard to better fit in with the city goals.

I'm honestly not so sure the Farmer's Market is going to develop anytime soon given what a clusterf--k the end product of all this construction turned out to be. It is a complete nightmare to try and figure out how to get around that entire area. And there's really still not that much there, save for The Loaded Bowl and Powerhouse.

[Dob Hooligan]

I am not an insider with direct knowledge, but I think the Stockyards power structure wants the area to work outward from SW 15th and Agnew. Working from Agnew is the focus for the visitor traffic, and the Farmers Market area doesn't need Exchange to provide them access.

[Ross MacLochness]

You are talking about two different places??

[Dob Hooligan]

^^^
Yes. Kinda. I'm old and a lifelong Northsider, and I have gotten the idea through the years that Exchange was designed, built, or evolved as the straight line road from downtown to the Stockyards. In my mind it is (or was) a bee line from Reno to Agnew. After reading your question I realized that I had not really been in that area while paying attention in 20 years or more.

So, Juan and I drove around this morning. Took Agnew to Exchange, then drove Exchange to Reno and looped that area. Looked to me like the City had decided years ago to make Exchange functionally dissolve around SW 3rd and Klein. Appears the north bound lanes are eased into going right (east) on SW 3rd eastbound, so it can terminate at Western, or left (north) onto Klein, so it can terminate at Reno. Appears the southbound preference is to take Klein from Reno and merge it up around SW 3rd. Looks like there is plenty of right of way for Klein to take all the traffic load when/if the Farmer's Market area takes off. The Klein area streets are in relative disrepair and would really benefit from a makeover effort, kinda like what is shown on the 39th & Penn thread here on OKC Talk. I'm thinking the Exchange half-lane thingie coming off of Reno is designed solely to give access to the Reclaimed Wood business and one other building that are both due south of the Conoco station.
Juan said "Hell, when they put the OnCue where the old Burger King and Conoco Station are it will all make sense.

The southwest end is Exchange and Agnew. I'm surprised it is 2 miles. But, it seems that the "Stockyards City" portion of Exchange is only a couple block going east from Agnew. It quickly goes into a commercial/industrial and some residential challenging type of area.

And the point of my whole rant on the OKC Boulevard thread is that I think the City and/or ODOT decided years ago that Exchange isn't important enough to be tied into either Reno or OKC Boulevard.

[Pete]

The good news is that Western is now open all the way between Main and I-40.

The bad news is, after all this time, they decided to tear up the middle of Reno at the Western intersection so drivers still can not get from west downtown to I-40 on Western.

[Geographer]

@Pete ....it's tactical autoism (haha) to make people perpetually have to utilize their shiny new freeway bypass (the boulevard) instead of going down to I-40 via Western. :-)

[jn1780]

Beyond ridiculous. The city just now realized a new waterline had to go in? They tore up new concrete for this new project.

[Pete]

Yep, they completely reworked and repaved that intersection, it sat there for months, then right when they go to open Western, they dig it up.

[HangryHippo]

Yep, they completely reworked and repaved that intersection, it sat there for months, then right when they go to open Western, they dig it up.

How f**king stupid. But the city routinely pulls stupid **** like this.

[Pete]

The boulevard is supposed to fully open today.

Here is a shot of the Western/Reno interchange which shows how they have almost completely cut off Exchange and access to the bridge that leads to the stockyards.

The 2nd photo is for 1969 which shows when Exchange was a divided boulevard in that area.

BTW, Reno is still torn up at the intersection with Western, cutting off access to and from I-40.

[Pete]

[Ross MacLochness]

F. Anyone going to the ribbon cutting at 2 today?

[shawnw]

You couldn't pay me to be seen at that event.

[HOT ROD]

guess not, lol.

[LakeEffect]

You couldn't pay me to be seen at that event.

[Ross MacLochness]

Bring your bike and lets ride it

[Anonymous.]

We should get some signage onto the overpass for N/S travel S - Farmers Market; N - Film Row.

[shawnw]

We should get some signage onto the overpass for N/S travel S - Farmers Market; N - Film Row.

I think there are plans formulating to make that a gateway into FMD with signage/mural/etc

[Laramie]