Streetcar

[Laramie]

There is an electronic sign by St Anthony's that says Streetcar work will start on Monday in this area. Anybody have any idea how traffic will be impacted?

Traffic in that has always been a concern even with the improvements and the 2 circles. You can count on it becoming a bottleneck--rush hour traffic could lead to a tieup.

The two circles in the area including the Midtown roundabout will get tested.

[OkiePoke]

There is an electronic sign by St Anthony's that says Streetcar work will start on Monday in this area. Anybody have any idea how traffic will be impacted?

• Cimarron will begin the utility work on Dewey between NW 11th and NW 10th
• Dewey will be northbound traffic only for six weeks

[CCOKC]

Thanks, that shouldn't affect me yet.

[shawnw]

I use the traffic circles everyday and in my observation the biggest issue is still people not knowing how to use them.

[shadfar]

I use the traffic circles everyday and in my observation the biggest issue is still people not knowing how to use them.

i just don't understand the confusion??

[shawnw]

People stop at the yield sign when there's no one in the circle like it's a four-way stop because someone got to their yield sign first. NO. If you're not going to hit someone by entering the circle, GO. Keep it flowing people!

[Anonymous.]

And those are the same people who merge @ 45mph on the highways. Sometimes you can only deal with stupidity.

I talked to some people this past weekend in Bricktown, they were complaining about parking and I explained to them all the construction right now is for the streetcar which will impact parking significantly. They were from Yukon and had no idea the streetcar was even a thing. This is going to be big!

[mugofbeer]

There are some good articles on rail transit in cities in Politico today. One deals with the success of the system being built in The Minneapolis / St. Paul area and another on streetcars and the mixed success of some poorly planned systems.

[Spartan]

Traffic in that has always been a concern even with the improvements and the 2 circles. You can count on it becoming a bottleneck--rush hour traffic could lead to a tieup.

The two circles in the area including the Midtown roundabout will get tested.

Lol. How many cars are waiting in this "bottleneck," like 8? What would you call a traffic light with 11 waiting cars, endemic gridlock?

[Laramie]

Lol. How many cars are waiting in this "bottleneck," like 8? What would you call a traffic light with 11 waiting cars, endemic gridlock?

Like shawnw mentioned:

People stop at the yield sign when there's no one in the circle like it's a four-way stop because someone got to their yield sign first. NO. If you're not going to hit someone by entering the circle, GO. Keep it flowing people!

This is a concern for the area because drivers 'freak out' when they enter the circle; not really knowing what to do or how to maintain consistent traffic flow.

[d-usa]

Like shawnw mentioned:

This is a concern for the area because drivers 'freak out' when they enter the circle; not really knowing what to do or how to maintain consistent traffic flow.

The biggest issue with traffic circles in OKC for me is when people don't use their turn signals. If people would just signal appropriately you would know if they are going to turn out of the circle and if it's safe to go ahead and enter vs stopping at the yield sign to give them the right of way only to have them turn right before they get to you.

[Spartan]

Like shawnw mentioned:

This is a concern for the area because drivers 'freak out' when they enter the circle; not really knowing what to do or how to maintain consistent traffic flow.

Yes, Oklahoma drivers do not understand roundabouts. No, it is not inducing "gridlock" just bc you may get stuck for two seconds behind someone who's probably prone to frequent stops anyway.

In this unique application, at least drivers who are timid about entering the roundabout aren't going to be in the way of ambulances that don't have to clear a five-way intersection.

Some of you should probably start laying on your horn to change behavior :P I find passive aggressiveness to be the best way to deal with slow drivers in the upper midwest.

[Teo9969]

Yes, Oklahoma drivers do not understand roundabouts. No, it is not inducing "gridlock" just bc you may get stuck for two seconds behind someone who's probably prone to frequent stops anyway.

In this unique application, at least drivers who are timid about entering the roundabout aren't going to be in the way of ambulances that don't have to clear a five-way intersection.

Some of you should probably start laying on your horn to change behavior :P I find passive aggressiveness to be the best way to deal with slow drivers in the upper midwest.

On my way to work on the exit ramp off LHP @ Britton the Eastbound turn lane has it's own dedicated ROW, but people stop all the time as if they're going to merge.

Since there is signage showing the integration from the off-ramp to Britton, when someone slows or stops I just lay on the horn.

Occasionally I get a nice middle finger out of the deal

[jerrywall]

The biggest issue with traffic circles in OKC for me is when people don't use their turn signals. If people would just signal appropriately you would know if they are going to turn out of the circle and if it's safe to go ahead and enter vs stopping at the yield sign to give them the right of way only to have them turn right before they get to you.

The problem is that even if they signal, if you pull out in front of them and they don't turn you're still liable. My wife totalled her first car that way.

[shawnw]

At the downtown BID meeting this morning there was a presentation from the streetcar team and they said , per the current schedule, we should see streetcar tests on the Bricktown loop by April 2018 (so one year). Also all 22 stop names have been chosen after much deliberation (no list provided). They are trying to have work on Sheridan (e.g. water utility issues) done and out of the way of the memorial marathon. They are also trying to be done with Joe Carter by Dodgers opening day.

[Spartan]

On my way to work on the exit ramp off LHP @ Britton the Eastbound turn lane has it's own dedicated ROW, but people stop all the time as if they're going to merge.

Since there is signage showing the integration from the off-ramp to Britton, when someone slows or stops I just lay on the horn.

Occasionally I get a nice middle finger out of the deal

THANK YOU though for doing your part toward ongoing driver education. It really takes a village to end stupid lol.

[Anonymous.]

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but here is constant updates on construction of the Streetcar:

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/hom...&id=b50f882414

[shawnw]

that list was mentioned at the BID meeting and I meant to post that, thanks for posting

[bradh]

How much money is being set aside for potential utility conflicts, or for upgrading aged utilities beneath the tracks to keep from having to potentially dig the tracks up or disturb service in the future should one of those utilities fail or have an issue? Of the savings from the bids being so far under budget, was it all blown on an extra car?

[LakeEffect]

How much money is being set aside for potential utility conflicts, or for upgrading aged utilities beneath the tracks to keep from having to potentially dig the tracks up or disturb service in the future should one of those utilities fail or have an issue? Of the savings from the bids being so far under budget, was it all blown on an extra car?

Upgrades and such were mainly done during P180 anyway; I'm sure there's general continence for the latter. I wouldn't call buying that streetcar blowing money.

[bradh]

In some spots yes, but not in Bricktown. Doesnt seem wise to lay new track over 107 year old cast iron waterlines.

[bradh]

Also, i heard an astounding number that I didn't verify but KC spent $20 million on unexpected utility upgrades during their project. Seems outrageous and by no means am I suggesting that could or would happen here (mainly because of said P180 and it taking the brunt of that burden).

[Urban Pioneer]

P180 enabled substantial cost savings to the streetcar project by providing the exact location of newly installed utilities through the core part of the system. It wasn't the level of integration that I personally wanted, but undeniably, P180 has had a dramatic positive impact on the streetcar project. Utility relocations, particularly for water lines, are underway to remove them from beneath the tracks. They are subsequently being upgraded. Semi-inert, unpressurized utilities such as sewers, may not be necessarily relocated. We are financing a OG+E vault relocation on Robinson. This is probably the most impactful and costly relocation.

Contingency funds remain above and beyond through the overall program for additional unknowns. The 7th streetcar purchase was due to the excessive funds available and the cost savings derived from adding them to the current production order instead of EMBARK doing a one-off order later.

[bradh]

Utility relocations, particularly for water lines, are underway to remove them from beneath the tracks.

Maybe for the ones Jacobs drew on the plans, but I'm talking about undiscovered lines in non-P180 areas. Perhaps I'll catch you Saturday and we can discuss.

[Laramie]

Just thankful that St. Anthony's decided to continue with its hospital expansion instead of rebuilding in another location.

Recall Fort Worth's St. Joseph's Hospital (constructed in the 1950s) was finally demolished in 2012:

St. Joseph Hospital, Fort Worth, Texas

St. Anthony's could have been met with a similar fate.