Originally Posted by
Swake
The $350 million for The Gathering Place is understated. That’s the donated money for phase I. There’s also almost $150 million in city bond money and federal grants for the new low water dam, the new pedestrian bridge, reconstructing Riverside and bank work. The total now in public and private dollars for The Gather Place is nearing half a billion dollars, for phase I alone.
Sadly, as part of all that work the railroad pedestrian bridge in Tulsa is about to be no more. It’s closed now as part of The Gathering Place and will be torn down and replaced by a higher capacity pedestrian bridge as the new low water dam is built. So today the Tulsa area has 7 pedestrian crossings for The Arkansas and will be back to 8 when the new bridge opens in 2020. A new 9th bridge is part of the upcoming Tulsa/Jenks low water dam at 106th due to be completed in 2024 and pending design there should be a 10th with the new Gilcrease Expressway toll bridge west of downtown. All but the Memorial bridge are already connected to the Tulsa area trails system and there are plans to connect the Memorial bridge.
Tulsa pedestrian river crossings:
Highway 97 bridge near downtown Sand Springs
Gilcrease Tollway bridge (this is the new toll highway bridge being planned at about 60th W Ave with pedestrian access, due to open in about 3 years)
I-244 bridge – by downtown
Southwest Blvd bridge – by downtown
21st Street bridge
Pedestrian Bridge @ 33rd St (currently closed and being replaced, new bridge due to open in 2020 with new low water dam. Budgeted at $26 million and in design now)
71st Street bridge
Jenks pedestrian bridge @ 96th St
Jenks Dam pedestrian bridge @ 106th (this is a new pedestrian specific bridge due to be built with Jenks Dam opening in 2024)
Memorial Drive pedestrian bridge in Bixby
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