OKC Boulevard

[Anonymous.]

I'm just glad they bothered to build the sidewalks we're seeing in Pete's pictures.

There is only sidewalk on one side.

[Architect2010]

There is only sidewalk on one side.

There are sidewalks on both sides, but the sidewalk on the south side of the boulevard ends at the Oklahoma intersection.

[Pete]

There are sidewalks on both sides, but the sidewalk on the south side of the boulevard ends at the Oklahoma intersection.

Yes, and I think that's because the Lumberyard property and beyond will be developed down the road and they wanted to incorporate the sidewalks into that.

Also, as of now there is not even a curb cut to get to the Lumberyard and Coop which I'm sure will change as those projects take shape.

[AnguisHerba]

So the streetcar is going on its own right-of-way for part of this, right?

[Urban Pioneer]

So the streetcar is going on its own right-of-way for part of this, right?

Yes. Between Robinson and Hudson the streetcar will be in it a separated right-of-way. The cars will be traveling west in that two block section. A grand double-sided stop at the Robinson/Boulevard intersection will service this area.

The double sided stop has track switching that allows two trams to be stacked next to one another for greater capacity and the ability to 'dwell' longer at the stop. This feature allows maximum flexibility to enable both Blue and Red lines to frequent this stop and react to greater demand placed on the system by events at the Chesapeake Arena, new MAPS 3 Park, or the new MAPS 3 Convention Center.

This particular stop will also contain a high-performance charging bar for the streetcar to 'dock' and charge its lithium ion batteries if need be. This is unique technology in the USA centric only to the Oklahoma City Streetcar System thus far.

[turnpup]

Urban Pioneer, what's the final track through Midtown? Up Hudson to how far north, and then back east to what street before going south again? I thought it was 13th, but somebody said it was 11th.

[ljbab728]

Urban Pioneer, what's the final track through Midtown? Up Hudson to how far north, and then back east to what street before going south again? I thought it was 13th, but somebody said it was 11th.

This will show you the route, turnpup.

https://www.okc.gov/government/maps-...eetcar-transit

[turnpup]

This will show you the route, turnpup.

https://www.okc.gov/government/maps-...eetcar-transit

Thanks, Urban Pioneer! I'm just now seeing your response. Sorry for the delay.

[baralheia]

Has final engineering been completed to determine how the streetcar will traverse the traffic circle at 10th and Walker? Is it planned for the streetcar to simply cut through the center of the circle?

[Ross MacLochness]

Has final engineering been completed to determine how the streetcar will traverse the traffic circle at 10th and Walker? Is it planned for the streetcar to simply cut through the center of the circle?

It will move through the circle just like a car would.

[Plutonic Panda]

It will move through the circle just like a car would.

Streetcars don't move like regular cars. They are much larger, heavier, and on tracks. Completely different from a car.

[Ross MacLochness]

Streetcars don't move like regular cars. They are much larger, heavier, and on tracks. Completely different from a car.

The plans show that the streetcar follows the path of the roundabout rather than cut through the center. Just saying it takes the same path as cars.

[baralheia]

And I just realized I posted that in the wrong thread! Should have been in the streetcar thread instead. My apologies!

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah that makes sense. I'm interested to see it in action.

The plans show that the streetcar follows the path of the roundabout rather than cut through the center. Just saying it takes the same path as cars.

[Urban Pioneer]

Replied on the streetcar thread- "Only a minor modification will need to be made to perimeter curb to allow the track to make a semi radius to navigate the roundabout. It is very nearly a straight shot within the travel lane"

[kwhey]

What's the point of opening the east end of you can't get into bricktown. What a cluster

[ljbab728]

What's the point of opening the east end of you can't get into bricktown. What a cluster

Bricktown is not the only destination for people who will use that street. Why block access to the rest of downtown just because the immediate Bricktown access is not yet available?

[kwhey]

Bricktown is not the only destination for people who will use that street. Why block access to the rest of downtown just because the immediate Bricktown access is not yet available?

Why block Bricktown though? The connection is finished. The construction on Gaylord is a nightmare. What are they waiting for?

[Ross MacLochness]

Why block Bricktown though? The connection is finished. The construction on Gaylord is a nightmare. What are they waiting for?

The city is still working out a deal with Uhaul. Their parking lot is in the way of Where Oklahoma will be located!

[baralheia]

While that is true, would it not be possible to temporarily direct that traffic around the west side of the building? Last I saw, the street was still completely open around the west side. Or do they just not want to open the connection until it's 100% complete?

[Urban Pioneer]

The U-Haul situation is laughable to say the least. Lonnie, the district manager of U-Haul, told me that they had a "team of lawyers" ready to protect their interests. U-Haul wanted ODOT to fairly compensate them for fully reorienting the interior of ground floor of their building as the layout of the interior office and sales space fronts the parking lot which is slated to be Oklahoma Avenue. Evidently, they didn't have a problem with the plans if the building layout was resolved and the true costs of maintaining their operations and flipping the orientation to the west side were fully absorbed. I would assume that ODOT balked this and that is why it hasn't been resolved.

When folks get mad about the government, there is probably no bigger bully nor more disruptive force than the engineers who plan and administrate highway construction. It is probably the single biggest divisive arm to disrupting urban fabric and small business.

I love my car. I enjoy driving it at high speeds and some of our highways are awesome autobahns and truly engineering feats. However, after attending dozens of these meetings and experiencing the sheer arrogance of planners, engineers, and administrators, one has to smile when they try to force a major American business chain to swallow their bidding. Good for U-Haul for actually making them sweat it out. It is a shame that most mom and pops, neighborhoods, etc don't have the resources for a "team of lawyers" to actually build highways that both accomplish auto movement and are sensitive to their affect on existing spaces.

[David]

So will it end up being the city or ODOT who has to work things out with U-Haul? It sounds like ODOT for now, but does that have the potential to flip to the city if it takes too long?

[Urban Pioneer]

ODOT has to resolve this. It is "their" project as they often state. The city will have nothing but tangential influence on all parts of the project until ODOT "hands over the keys". Quotes are things I vividly remember that have been oft repeated by ODOT and City Staff in different public meetings.

The boulevard is being treated as a Federal highway project. The program administration is in the same context that a new highway is in terms of being built. The right-of-way acquisition, compensation, environmental impact among other things are most definitely in the legal realm of ODOT itself with the only supervisory body being the Federal Highway Administration.

The U-Haul situation is egg on their face. So is the schedule. They are years behind schedule. I vividly remember when Paul Green came to our streetcar meeting and told us that the project couldn't be delayed and basically that it would be completed without our interference or others. That was years ago. But if you talked to any of them, they would give you the impression that this schedule was all part of the plan.

[Buffalo Bill]

ODOT has to resolve this.

Couldn't be more wrong.

[David]

Couldn't be more wrong.

Do tell?