Canal to River Connection

[jn1780]

UP probably has a rule where you can't have human powered mechical devices under their right of way. So no bikes. lol

[David]

If you can read that eight year old story involving the city and the same railroad and not see startling parallels and connections, I'm sorry, I can't help. People have been in this thread and the other thread desperately seeking explanations for what is happening here and expressing shock at the situation; I was only trying to help out.

Here's the thing, Urban. You know I read the article, and the problem with it is that the plural of anecdote is not data. Just because the city didn't work with UP in one instance does not mean it never does or did not this time. From the original article about the problem posted in the Oklahoma River Development thread:

OKC spokesperson Kristy Yager says the city has been working with Union Pacific for years, but the railroad says it didn't even know the tunnel existed until last week. Yager chalks the confusion up to a communication breakdown.

"We've got pages of documentation that we've worked with them over the last two years," Yager said. "We just now need to talk to our new contact [at Union Pacific]."

Unless this Kristy Yager person is straight up lying, the issue sounds to me like it was on UP's side.

[Urbanized]

I've known her for years, and Kristy is one of the most dedicated, well-intentioned and honest people I know at the City. As far as I have ever known, she doesn't make a habit of lying.

You're taking the railroad's statements in the first article at face value. FWIW, there was litigation associated with the other case, in which the City prevailed. My point is that there seems to be a pattern at work.

[Larry OKC]

catch22: your ideas seem reasonable and an improvement...and maybe already be in the works, the finishing touches...

[Snowman]

I just walked around that area.

It looks great, can't wait for it to be officially open. There is no one watching the underpass, so, while I am in no way encouraging trespassing nor admitting I did so myself, the barrier appears that it would be easy to slip by.

Some observations:

Signage
Needs signs. A prominent sign over the tunnel that says "Boathouse District" and on the reverse saying "Lower Bricktown". If I were a visitor I would have no idea what is on the other side of the tunnel. From the Bricktown side you can see the Boathouse District, but if you don't know about it, it looks like a sports field and a park is on the other side, since you cannot see the Boathouses or the river.

Need signs that point you to go vertical...i.e. where the Bricktown canal is. From the bottom looking up, again looks like it's just a park at the top of the hill. You don't know the canal and pathway to bricktown is above you. Need signs. You must assume that people do not know where things are. Assume everyone is a visitor. Pretend you are a visitor with no knowledge of the area, and try to figure out how to get around. Place signs where visitors would need them.

Pathways
The east pathway is very wide, the west pathway is about half the width of the east. The east pathway needs paint delineating a bike lane. It is wide enough to have paint on the ground indicating where the cyclists go, and where the pedestrian goes. This will encourage both cyclists and pedestrians to use the walkway because both know they belong and have their own space. It will reinforce the connection as not just a pathway, but as a designated route for people to flow between the two districts. The theme being: we want you to use this.

All of the other pathways are very wide, and very well done. I would also recommend a staircase that goes by the zig-zagging sidewalk that connects the canal to the river connection. The sidewalk zigzags to make the grade easy and accessible for everyone. But a staircase that bypasses that would be nice. Sometimes you don't want to zig-zag 5 times up a hill, and would rather a staircase.

Agree on the signage, though they just finished the groundwork so that may be to come, I know the boathouse district is about to be doing a lot in there area but not sure if they are doing any west of the bridge.

The plan had a staircase at one point, possibly cut due to budget. They also left space for if they want to add an elevator later as well.

[Urbanized]

Stairs and elevator both cut due to budget.

[OKCisOK4me]

Stairs and elevator both cut due to budget.

You'd think that a straight down sidewalk with steps would cost a lot less than a zig zagging walkway that's 7 times longer!

[kevinpate]

ADA compliance, wheel chair access. Not everyone is a fully functional bi-ped.

[Snowman]

Stairs and elevator both cut due to budget.

I did not think the elevator really got approved, just planed the space for if they found the money later.

[catch22]

Is future funding to complete the stairs and elevator being seeked?

[OKCisOK4me]

Nm

[Urbanized]

The elevator was an add alternate and was cut early. The stairs were value engineered from the project when the project's budget got tight. I don't think anyone is currently pursuing funding for either, but might be wrong about that. The switchbacks were an ADA requirement, as kevinpate suggests. That was the single element that HAD to be built.

[OKCisOK4me]

There's an ADA compliant sidewalk from the parking lot. No need for two of them...

[Urbanized]

One serves the parking lot, one the canal. I'm not certain (don't recall) if the one to the parking lot is ADA-compliant. The other one definitely is.

[catch22]

^^ It is.

One thing I meant to add in my original post. The freeway noise from the tunnel is hardly noticeable. You'd imagine it would be noisy, but it is actually very quiet and peaceful in the tunnel.

[Snowman]

^^ It is.

One thing I meant to add in my original post. The freeway noise from the tunnel is hardly noticeable. You'd imagine it would be noisy, but it is actually very quiet and peaceful in the tunnel.

I was surprised it was not too loud on the south side of the canal as well, given the banking turns I expected more to be funneled to the park, it was funny that what traffic noise there was kind of sounded like water rapids off behind the trees.

[shawnw]

Opening delayed because of railroad issues.....
OKC, Union Pacific Dispute Halts Bricktown Connection To River - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

Bricktown-river link on track for March

Apparent progress on this issue, though I cannot read it...

[OKCisOK4me]

Bricktown-river link on track for March

Apparent progress on this issue, though I cannot read it...

I can't read it either but that's good news.

[ljbab728]

This is from Molly Flemings article in the Journal.

When the water returns to the Bricktown Canal, the city plans to have the connection between Bricktown and the Oklahoma River open to visitors.

The connection was slated to open on Oct. 1. Then, on the morning of the grand opening, the Union Pacific Railroad – owner of the bridge over the river connection – said the inspections were not complete and refused approval. The connection was opened twice temporarily for special events.

The bridge has since been inspected and approved by the railroad. The two entities are now working on the right-of-entry agreement.

Oklahoma City Public Works Department Director Eric Wenger said the city and the railroad have been reviewing agreements since that time and are close to signing on the dotted line.

He said the debacle with the opening was due to the retirement of Union Pacific employees who were working on the project, as the city had ongoing communications with the company.

“We were negotiating the agreement (before the scheduled opening),” he said. “We lost some of the knowledge of the project when the new staff was assigned.”

Union Pacific Railroad spokeswoman Raquel Espinoza said the last agreement sent to the city from Union Pacific was on Dec. 12.

“We are negotiating the final terms,” Wenger said. “Since this is intended to be a long-standing agreement, there are still a couple of things to work out.”

The railroad has ownership of the bridge and wants to make sure the city will take proper care of the area around it, as well as allow Union Pacific to do any work necessary.

Wenger said that according to the agreement, the city will take care of any graffiti in the area, as well as general maintenance. The city will also notify the railroad of any work that needs to be done to the bridge. He said a formal agreement is expected to be approved by the reopening of the canal in March, and there are no events scheduled that will require a special use permit.

[shawnw]

Thank you for posting.

[OKCisOK4me]

"The bridge has since been inspected and approved by the railroad."

Yet they've been running their train sets over the bridge for how long now? lol. I understand these agreements can be very deep but this is still just a bunch of cockamamie.

[Pete]

Moved several posts here from the river development thread.

[shawnw]

Thank you Pete. Couldn't find the proper thread before.

[Just the facts]

"The bridge has since been inspected and approved by the railroad."

Yet they've been running their train sets over the bridge for how long now? lol. I understand these agreements can be very deep but this is still just a bunch of cockamamie.

I think UP owes an explanation as to why they have been hauling hazardous cargo over a waterway using an uninspected bridge that they say they didn't even know existed. If I was UP I believe I would shut-up about what I don't know, lest a federal regulator with Fish and Wildlife was listening.

[David]

He said the debacle with the opening was due to the retirement of Union Pacific employees who were working on the project, as the city had ongoing communications with the company.

Oh lord.