Californians leaving for Oklahoma

[JOHNINSOKC]

MIREAUX....Not to pop your bubble or anything, but I really believe that there are tons of metroplex people relocating to OKC as well, because I have seen tons of cars driving around the city that have Oklahoma plates, but have the DFW area dealership logo where they bought the car from. I've seen them from Ft. Worth, Dallas, Richardson, Arlington....pretty much every major area around there. Because the Metroplex is getting overcrowded with growth that is too fast, it makes sense that there is a huge influx of those folks moving here. Just something to consider.

[bluedogok]

ill agree that many californians may be leaving the golden state,.but im not so convinced that the sooner state is recieving a large influx of them.

They are and have been for awhile, most of the ones that I have known have been older, those 10-15 years from retirement age who had their house in California for awhile and made a profit on the selling of it. They are moving to where housing is more affordable and they can take a big chunk of the "profit" from the house sale and put it into retirement accounts. Most also have had some family ties back to Oklahoma as well.

[Doug Loudenback]

whoa sally...check out your avatar. is that a true scale of how large the new devon skyscraper will be compared to the rest of the skyline? if so, that thing is mammoth. i only hope it serves as a beacon for economic renewal to the area as well.

Indeed it is. Where have you been?

At least one long thread in this forum discusses it. My blog article on it is here: Doug Dawgz Blog: Devon Tower and construction is supposed to begin this summer or fall, as I recall.

Here's a pic (click the pic for larger):

[jbrown84]

I now see that the article originated in the Sacramento Bee. That article contains a great 5-minute video. So, best to use this link: Golden State losing folks as old Dust Bowl beckons - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

I've scoured that page and can't find any video content.

[mireaux]

Indeed it is. Where have you been?

Dallas, since 2006.

[mireaux]

MIREAUX....Not to pop your bubble or anything, but I really believe that there are tons of metroplex people relocating to OKC as well, because I have seen tons of cars driving around the city that have Oklahoma plates, but have the DFW area dealership logo where they bought the car from. I've seen them from Ft. Worth, Dallas, Richardson, Arlington....pretty much every major area around there. Because the Metroplex is getting overcrowded with growth that is too fast, it makes sense that there is a huge influx of those folks moving here. Just something to consider.

maybe they live in dfw, and got them tagged illegally in oklahoma. for a while, there were many who would get oregon plates for some sort of tax benefit. i think oregon did something about it though, cause i dont see that many oregon plates around. oklahoma doesnt require a state inspection like texas does, so there alone would be a benefit to tagging a texas ride in okla.

[JOHNINSOKC]

That's a valid point. I think OKC will definitely look more attractive to people wanting to get the heck out of that rat race down there, eventually. I believe there are 6.5 million down there right now, and it will be out of control as the years go by. Every time I talk to someone who lives in DFW(INCLUDING MY PARENTS), all they talk about is the traffic. I'm like.....what else is there to talk about around there? I'll take my OKC, which has character and is getting better all the time, to the sea of concrete and traffic that is DFW.

[Doug Loudenback]

I've scoured that page and can't find any video content.

It is in the 2nd column immediately below the slide show. It's still there.

[bluedogok]

That's a valid point. I think OKC will definitely look more attractive to people wanting to get the heck out of that rat race down there, eventually. I believe there are 6.5 million down there right now, and it will be out of control as the years go by. Every time I talk to someone who lives in DFW(INCLUDING MY PARENTS), all they talk about is the traffic. I'm like.....what else is there to talk about around there? I'll take my OKC, which has character and is getting better all the time, to the sea of concrete and traffic that is DFW.

I lived in Dallas from 91-93, moved back to OKC and was there until 2003 when I moved down here to Austin. I had a chance to move back to Dallas in 2004 to work with my old firm (worked there for 4 months at that time commuting from Austin), it only took me a few weeks to figure out that I had no desire to move back to DFW. When I lived there the entire Stonebriar area in Frisco was nothing but a two lane blacktop and fields all around and McKinney was way out in the sticks, it didn't take long for all that to get developed. It's a nice place to visit, but that is about it anymore.

[okcpulse]

ill agree that many californians may be leaving the golden state,.but im not so convinced that the sooner state is recieving a large influx of them.

i know that dallas/ft worth is recieving a large number of them, not to mention that many oklahomans are also relocating to dfw as well. there are many cars with texas plates that have silver metallic OU decals adjacent to the rear license plates.

The city of Lewisville is reknown for having a large Oklahoman transplant populous.

I'll chime in on the bubble-bursting session here mireaux... during the mid-to-late 1990s when I was in high school in Edmond, Oklahoma, 4 out of 10 people I knew or was acquainted with was from California. Most of my friends were from California... Stockton, El Cajun, San Diego, Mission Viejo... the list goes on.

However, Oklahoma's largest annual importer of new residents is from Texas according to the IRS and the U.S. Census. Likewise, the number one state people move to from Oklahoma is of course Texas. Those are the facts.

[okcpulse]

whoa sally...check out your avatar. is that a true scale of how large the new devon skyscraper will be compared to the rest of the skyline? if so, that thing is mammoth. i only hope it serves as a beacon for economic renewal to the area as well.

Devon Tower... 925 ft. tall, 54 floors
Chase Tower... 500 ft. tall, 36 floors
First National Tower... 493 ft. tall, 32 floors
UMB City Place... 448 ft. tall, 33 floors
Oklahoma Tower... 425 ft. tall, 31 floors
Sandridge Center... 393 ft. tall, 30 floors

Almost twice as tall, but a WELCOME addition to the skyline. It will serve as a beacaon for economic renewal.

[mireaux]

That's a valid point. I think OKC will definitely look more attractive to people wanting to get the heck out of that rat race down there, eventually. I believe there are 6.5 million down there right now, and it will be out of control as the years go by. Every time I talk to someone who lives in DFW(INCLUDING MY PARENTS), all they talk about is the traffic. I'm like.....what else is there to talk about around there? I'll take my OKC, which has character and is getting better all the time, to the sea of concrete and traffic that is DFW.

well..yeah..it all depends on what part of this massive metroplex they live in. some areas have hellaciously congested highways..some dont. some highways are congested in one direction at one point of the day, while the opposite lanes are freely moving.

some of the more congested highways here would be 635/LBJ, 360 south during evening rush hour (north lanes normal), 35E north at evening rush hour (south lanes normal), 121 from ft worth extending into collin county (very congested)

but the difference is dfw is aware of its growing populous and is actually implementing steps into place to accomodate such. i dont see such actions being put into place in okc...not only to plan for a growing populous, but even to maintain its transportation infrastructure for its current populous.

another difference is that okc has the core of its best jobs located within oklahoma city proper while its suburbs are largely residential only, having scant few businesses that pay well in them..which means just about everybody is commuting into and out of a common financial epicenter.

dfw has two key cities: dallas and ft worth where the majority of its jobs are, but in addition to that, just about every suburb here also has major corporations located within its boundaries as well. so, not everyone is going in the same general direction for work..here the flow of traffic is more diverse and the highways accomodate the flow quite well.

the commutes are generally shorter distance-wise, but due to congestion can increase commuting time. but you can always move closer to work too as there are abundant living opportunities everywhere.

thats the key difference.

[okcpulse]

but the difference is dfw is aware of its growing populous and is actually implementing steps into place to accomodate such. i dont see such actions being put into place in okc...not only to plan for a growing populous, but even to maintain its transportation infrastructure for its current populous.

On the contrary, OKC has a VERY comprehensive plan in place for future growth, and actions are being taken to not only expand its infrastructure but maintain its current infrastructure.

Case and point... I-40 is planned to be widened to six lanes from east of Midwest City to the Oklahoma/Pottawatomie county line.

The I-235/I-44 interchange will be converted from a cloverleaf to a multilevel interchange. The widening of I-235 to six lanes, including reconfiguring the NE 36th interchange is now complete. The next phase is the interchange itself.

The Broadway/Memorial Road interchange is under construction right now to accomodate growing levels of traffic.

The I-35/I-240 interchange will also be converted from a cloverleaf to a multilevel interchange around 2012.

I-35 is currently being widened to six lanes in Norman.

The I-40 Crosstown relocation is currently underway.

The last leg of the Kilpatrick Turnpike will be completed beginning in 2011 or 2012, connecting I-40 with Mustang, OK-152, I-44 and I-35.

Lake Hefner Parkway in 2012 or 2013 will be extended from Memorial to the Oklahoma/Logan county line.

I-35 between NW 23rd and I-44 is slated to be widened to six lanes.

The concrete surfaces of I-44, I-235 and I-40 are being rehabilitated or has been rehabilitated as we speak. I-44 between I-35 and NW 39th is nice and smooth. Plus, all freeways are being restriped with the more visible black-white stripes.

Arterials north of Quail Springs Mall are being widened left and right.

And there is a lot of interest surrounding light rail right now in Oklahoma City, even among city planners.

I would say OKC is taking action on growth, just not out-of-control growth like cancerous DFW.

[bluedogok]

but the difference is dfw is aware of its growing populous and is actually implementing steps into place to accomodate such. i dont see such actions being put into place in okc...not only to plan for a growing populous, but even to maintain its transportation infrastructure for its current populous.

That's a joke, if that was the case 121 would have been built out before it became a nightmare to get around that area. When I lived there it was Central Expressway trying to get caught up. Part of the problem is TxDOT and the other is the nature of all of the burbs and CoG around waiting until it is a problem and then trying to patchwork a solution.

the commutes are generally shorter distance-wise, but due to congestion can increase commuting time. but you can always move closer to work too as there are abundant living opportunities everywhere.

Another fallacy unless you want to move often or rent. Most of the people that I have known living in DFW lived relatively close to their work at one time, then their offices moved. That is part of the problem of having employment scattered all over. My uncle lives in the Preston & Frankford area, when he bought his house his office was in the Galleria area, not a bad commute as I did it myself for 4 months when I was working up there and staying with him since my office was across 635 from Valley View Mall. Well, his office went and moved out north of DFW Airport a few years after buying his house. He was not happy about that, but he isn't changing since he is a few years from retirement.

I learned that place isn't all it's cracked up to be, when I was in my early 20's I thought it was, by the time I was 30 I had moved back to OKC.

[westsidesooner]

Most of my friends were from California... Stockton, El Cajun, San Diego, Mission Viejo... the list goes on.

However, Oklahoma's largest annual importer of new residents is from Texas according to the IRS and the U.S. Census. Likewise, the number one state people move to from Oklahoma is of course Texas. Those are the facts.

So I'm not the only ex-Mission Viejo resident here. (Go Diablos) While I moved back to Oklahoma along time ago and not specificially for economic reasons it was a difficult decision. I just missed Oklahoma, family, football, and the seasons. Still love OC and go back every chance I get.

Are there any stats that show how many Oklahomans move to Texas and Texans moving to Oklahoma?

[workman45]

Case and point... I-40 is planned to be widened to six lanes from east of Midwest City to the Oklahoma/Pottawatomie county line.

Actually the plan is to eventually widen it to 8 lanes from east of Midwest City to Shawnee.

[Jesseda]

what happened to the the turnpike going all the way between norman and moore to connect with i-35? we need something to help the south side of okc out i mean moore, norman nad osuth okc is growing really really fast and traffic is a nightmare already heading into the city for work and going home

[okcpulse]

what happened to the the turnpike going all the way between norman and moore to connect with i-35? we need something to help the south side of okc out i mean moore, norman nad osuth okc is growing really really fast and traffic is a nightmare already heading into the city for work and going home

I mentioned that in the post above. It is still slated for construction, but OTA has that prject a couple of years out.

[LakeEffect]

And there is a lot of interest surrounding light rail right now in Oklahoma City, even among city planners.

Why do you say, "even among city planners."?

[kbsooner]

The I-35/I-240 interchange will also be converted from a cloverleaf to a multilevel interchange around 2012.

Guess I'll be leaving for work at 6:30 starting in '12!