Edmond in ‘preliminary’ discussions to take over portions of U.S. Route 66, Route 77

[jerrywall]

https://nondoc.com/2022/12/19/edmond...f-route-66-77/

I know this is still years away from happening, but this will be big if it does. (Plus Pluplan might finally get that expressway down Broadway he's been asking for for years. )

[jerrywall]

I made the joke about an expressway on Broadway, but honestly if this happens I'd love to see a redesign of Broadway between 9th and Second street to comply with better Urban design standards and improve walkability there. Downtown is pretty full and I think that zone South of 2nd to 9th street has some great potential to expand that district and connect with Stephenson Park. Of course, this would necessitate lowering the speed limit on that stretch to 30 or 25 IMO. And for that to happen the road should reflect the desired speed.

[Plutonic Panda]

Somehow just saw this thread. I actually think transferring it the city would lessen the chances of it being converted to an expressway as if the chances were ever above zero. But it’s worth mentioning my plan wouldn’t keep it an expressway all the to second street. It would become more urban/walkable friendly the closer it gets to downtown.

What it seems like to me is Edmond wants a full concrete reconstruction and Edmond standard medians with the median on Broadway being landscaped. I’d still be happy with that since Edmondnites can’t fathom much growth and building bridges over intersections would signal high growth too much.

This will be a very expensive project for Edmond likely the most expensive ever constructed. I’d say it would easily be around 100 million possibly north of that if they want to do a full reconstruction with concrete. It would be worth it in the end since they wouldn’t have to resurface it every decade or so.

[Plutonic Panda]

Here’s a post about near term improvements which includes resurfacing with asphalt: https://www.edmondok.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1017

[Plutonic Panda]

There’s also a plan to start construction within the next year or two which will upgrade the sidewalks along second street as well as filling in gaps that currently exist.