Like Steve said, it just looks so much better - like a place you might actually want to stop walk through instead of speed past. Wish they would have put in a turn lane and dropped the second lane of traffic but we are talking OKC Public Works so baby steps are better than no steps. This is just the initial phase of the rolling snowball, next up - Sheridan and Reno in Bricktown.
As someone mentioned in another thread, what is needed now is landscaping and MORE TREES. It is shocking when you think about how barren it looks.
We need better ways to cross the street as well. I have to think ahead to make sure I cross at a light, as otherwise it's quite difficult.
I believe when this was approved, there was a discussion that phase 2 would involve angled and improved parking on the side streets off of Broadway. I have not heard of a timeline.
Haven't seen it yet in person. But the photos I have seen -- WOW! Just doesn't even look like the same street or city. Truly amazing. So glad to see this.
Well, luckily it probably won't be happening, and if it does, it likely won't be for a long time from now.
I do like it but I with there were better crosswalks. I crossed Broadway at 9th today to get to Iguana just to see if crossing would be easier. It was a little easier but with the turn lane gone, I now have to cross three lanes of traffic at once instead of two. A car did stop for me though which I think was a first.
When I first heard of the concept of "Reverse Angle Parking" as compared to "Parallel Parking" I thought it was the Automotive Equivalent of "The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread". Only a bit of patience by those texting in traffic will be required to allow the parker to properly enter the space defined and presented by the paint on the roadway. (yeah, right, as if . . .)
I would 100% want Reno to stay 4 lanes. It's too important for through traffic. Just try to get around when it's closed for a Thunder game and see what kind of bottleknecks you'd create. Even in rush hour it would be a pain.
I'd actually love to find a way to keep Reno from having to close during events at the Peake...but I have no idea how that would even be possible with the number of people that overflow into it between the buildings. Had the Peak's footprint included more plaza space for gathering spectators like the Myriad did, it wouldn't be as big of a deal...that is until they all cross the street to get to their cars LOL.
I'm not opposed to pedestrian friendly designs, just not those that sacrifices the more common car traffic. AA is retail, Reno isn't, save for a VERY few reno facing fronts.
Back on track with the thread topic, I saw my first (small) traffic snarl on Broadway around rush hour yesterday. Eventually I suspect drivers will adjust their routes (I did) and the grid will absorb the former freeway-style traffic that ran on Broadway.
Lincoln isn't convenient, that's why. If you take 235, you get a non-stop flow.
As for the boulevard...they aren't exactly making quick progress of the thing east of Classen. If that thing opens up, yeah it will significantly reduce Reno traffic. HOWEVER, that's ONLY if they correct the previous issue of access to Eastbound flow. If you were headed back to MWC from bricktown, you had to drive half the way back on Reno to even get to an onramp (on the opposite side of the river). That is unless you wanted to backtrack into the more congested downtown. IF they clear that kind of mess up, I would expect to see Reno cleared up a lot....now will they change it to 2-lane? I don't think so. There is still charter bus and semi traffic that goes in/out of the arenas/ballpark in the area. It's really still the main artery for the east/west traffic. Make that 2-lanes, and see what happens to traffic as a bus loads/unloads (with no loading/unloading zone), or a semi waiting to turn left into Bricktown (remember access over Walnut bridge comes from here too). Construction/etc.
I believe there will be a fly-over from the boulevard to east-bound I-40.
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