51st and Classen

[lasomeday]

What is going on with the new road design? It is a mess! I hate it! I bet the business owners there are irate! You can't get anywhere except onto the interstate.

[Midtowner]

What is going on with the new road design? It is a mess! I hate it! I bet the business owners there are irate! You can't get anywhere except onto the interstate.

To get to Edna's, if you're travelling eastbound, you have to exit onto I-44, take I-44 to Western, turn around and come back.

[blake]

That was horrible planning by whomever was in charge of it. I have often made some illegal moves to navigate through there.

[metro]

Yeah I hate what they did as well, it's not new, it's been that way awhile but I'm sure one of ODOT's finest designed it.

[OKCMallen]

It's really, really, really bad. I live at 50th and east of Western, basically, and getting to NW expressway is a huge pain now. I have no idea what they were thinking.

[Spartan]

Yeah that area has always been a screwed up interchange. Sounds like they made it even more screwed up. What can I say..they're good at what they do.

[jonno]

Yeah I hate what they did as well, it's not new, it's been that way awhile but I'm sure one of ODOT's finest designed it.

State Highway 3A (the portion of NW Expressway between Classen and Lake Hefner Parkway) was given back to OKC two years ago and is no longer on ODOT's system. You can thank the city for this one.

[Chef]

As an Oklahoma City firefighter when we heard of the 51st and Classen road work, we began to ask questions. It was relayed to us that some businesses to the West around Penn Square were complaining about the traffic. We discussed this with the city, odot etc. letting them know that it would increase our time to get to the West side of our fire district and very well casue us problems. I can assure you that it has been a problem, especially if a vehicle is setting at the light that allows you to go West from the side street. We use extreme caution in forcing a vehicle to run the red light. just so we have room to continue on West. We as a group at the fire station fought this all the way. But we do have an advantage over most, it's called LIGHTS AND SIRENS. Have a good day

[OKCisOK4me]

To get to Edna's, if you're travelling eastbound, you have to exit onto I-44, take I-44 to Western, turn around and come back.

If you're traveling eastbound, why don't you just exit off of I-44 on to NW Expressway eastbound, and turn left (north) onto Classen, where you can then take the old street that used to go all the way through but now dead ends at Edna's. That's pretty simple to me!

[rcjunkie]

State Highway 3A (the portion of NW Expressway between Classen and Lake Hefner Parkway) was given back to OKC two years ago and is no longer on ODOT's system. You can thank the city for this one.

The City is not to blame for this one, this is on Classen, North of NW Expressway and was definitely an ODOT job. As long as I can still get to the Classen Grill, I'm OK with whatever they do.

[Steve]

That area has always been a bit of a challenge. I wonder if they should simply restore Classen Circle.

[onthestrip]

Yes, the changin has been quite confusing. Being a regular, I have noted the changes and have navigated it well since. But yes, it totally seems to be bad design and somewhat of a cluster f. Its like they planned it as if there was a lot of traffic east of NW Expressway and Classen when in reality there is not.

[metro]

State Highway 3A (the portion of NW Expressway between Classen and Lake Hefner Parkway) was given back to OKC two years ago and is no longer on ODOT's system. You can thank the city for this one.

This intersection isn't between NW Expressway and LHP, it's north and east of there and as someone else pointed out, an ODOT job as it connects and forces you right to I-44 or into the neighborhood there.

[jdcf]

I wish the re-design had included direct west-bound access to NW Highway from 50th St to better integrate the neighorhoods at 50th and Shartel/Western with Penn Square/Baptist areas and beyond.

[bombermwc]

I'm seeing this and thinking...hmm... even though I don't drive the area often, I haven't had problems getting anywhere after the construction. You just have to pay attention to the concrete.

[LakeEffect]

I typed up a nice big reply on my iPhone, and then it didn't post... if it shows up, sorry.

Let me clear up a few things. This IS/WAS a City project. It was funded via 2000 GO Bond unlisted and 2007 GO Bond listed funds. jonno is correct - ODOT and the City switched highway/street maintenance responsibilities on a few roads a couple years ago.

There was at least one community meeting that neighboring property/business owners were specifically invited to. The women at Edna's had issues with the original design, so it was modified to include the slip ramp to the frontage road. This has proved very helpful - I use it often.

NW 50th Street was closed because it crosses a highway ramp exit. This is a safety hazard. All of the work on NW Expressway right now is intended to actually increase use of this exit (onto Classen Circle) and decrease traffic at the next exit (Belle Isle). Hopefully, commuters and people going to 50 Penn will exit here, and people going to the mall will exit at the next exit. If this does happen, the increased traffic at the ramp and the cross traffic from NW 50th would be at conflict.

As for the Fire issue, I don't know what to say. The Fire Marshal's office reviewed the case before it went to Planning Commission and City Council (road closures require PC and CC approval), and no objection was raised. The Fire Marshal's office noted that response time would not be impacted. Now, I do know I see station 11 at Chili's often, so maybe easy access to there is the biggest complaint.

The plans make sense when viewed from above, but driving it is confusing at first, I admit. I was the project manager during design only, so if something changed during construction, I don't have the details.

Personally, and as a planner, I'd love for Classen Circle to come back... but I don't foresee that happening soon.

[Midtowner]

If you're traveling eastbound, why don't you just exit off of I-44 on to NW Expressway eastbound, and turn left (north) onto Classen, where you can then take the old street that used to go all the way through but now dead ends at Edna's. That's pretty simple to me!

Because I'd typically be coming North on Classen.. and these things don't occur to me until I've already driven by the exit ramp.

[windowphobe]

I wonder if they should simply restore Classen Circle.

A roundabout? In this town? Who'd believe it?

[Larry OKC]

If access from all directions could be achieved I could live with a traffic circle ... but I HATE traffic circles ... we had a few at one time but wisely got rid of them ... now we have at least one back again (near St. Anthony's)

[dmoor82]

I for one like Roundabouts,Rotary's,traffic circles whatever you call them!They are easy to navigate if your used to them,but,for people that never have been thru one, its an accident waiting to happen!

[Chicken In The Rough]

Is there a map of these changes somewhere?

[mheaton76]

That area has always been a bit of a challenge. I wonder if they should simply restore Classen Circle.

Restore the Circle ... that gets my vote.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Does anybody have pics of the former circle?

[Spartan]

Traffic circles are awesome for defined space, believe it or not, even in areas with virtually no density.