New Downtown Boulevard

[mugofbeer]

I agree with moving from 3 lanes to 2. I don't see 3 lanes @ 25mph working. It will be a racetrack.

Not necessarily, with stop lights at every corner downtown.

[metro]

Some of you mentioned tying it into the canal. KC's Ward Boulevard is divided by a creek near the Plaza area.

[OKC@heart]

Some of you mentioned tying it into the canal. KC's Ward Boulevard is divided by a creek near the Plaza area.

What a great image! Thanks for posting. There are numerous possibilities that could be employed to make this new road a significant contributor to the city. The planning just needs to be done very carefully so we are really getting something that is a place maker not just an expensive street.

[Kerry]

Metro - I would much rather see that (^) type of road. Atlanta has something similar in the Atlantic Station section of downtown/Midtown.

This is a picture of the center median of 17th street. While it only last for a few blocks it makes a nice divider.

[metro]

Yeah I'm familiar with Atlanta, went to college out there for awhile and spent much time in Atlanta from 1996 Olympics on. Philadelphia (as you can see in other thread) is my ideal city to model after.

[Kerry]

I like the idea of a road with curves in it. It would make a nice change from every straight road in OKC and would help reduce speed. An extension of the canal down the center would be really cool.

[ljbab728]

You know, the more I think about a road that is 272 feet wide the less I like it. That likes 28 feet being the width of a football field and runs for several miles. That is going to make a huge barrier to pedestrians even if it does have 3 medians to cross. I am also not sure if another 6 lane road (like EKG) thru central OKC is a good idea.

Downtown does not need any 6 lane streets. It's not NW Expressway traffic except maybe for a short time during rush hours.

[mugofbeer]

I like the idea of a road with curves in it. It would make a nice change from every straight road in OKC and would help reduce speed. An extension of the canal down the center would be really cool.

My thoughts exactly. The canal should be extended between the two arenas, connected somehow to the Myriad Gardens, turn south thru Fred Jones, run the new boulevard median and then south to connect into the central park lake - could then turn back east and connect to the canal in south Bricktown and make a loop.

[Platemaker]

I like the idea of a road with curves in it. It would make a nice change from every straight road in OKC and would help reduce speed. An extension of the canal down the center would be really cool.

I disagree entirely... straight roads are more urban IMO. Especially if this is to be a 'Grand Boulevard"

[BigD Misey]

Some of you mentioned tying it into the canal. KC's Ward Boulevard is divided by a creek near the Plaza area.

Wow! What a refreshing image. I love this idea...a loop around the new C2S development, keep Reno as the east west feeder and use Western or Gaylord as the north/South feeders.

In my mind a good idea because OKC wants foot traffic and a point of interest for visitors. Those coming for NBA games and the new convention center have an IMEDIATE point of interest in a canal/river loop, central park and the revamped Myriad gardens right next to a thriving Bricktown all within walking distance. And if a mixed use retail area were immediately across the pedestrian bridge, adjacent to the Convention Center along the new cross-town I40, this would essentially connect it all of it...the river, the park, renaissanced downtown, bricktown and the deuce. From the hotels downtown and in brick town and along this river/street development, these points of interest would all be within 1/2 mile walk along and through a grand park or a 10 min boat ride or a 5 min rail stop. Brilliant!

It would also give the private developers a new element for design and provide impetus. I do think this would give direction for development to narrow strips E/W along the new canal/Blvd and then N/S from just across I40 to the new Convention center between Shields and Walker. Private developers would eat up that property like candy! The city would have a hard time keeping up. Conversely, as a private investor, I would be hesitant and likely wait and see along what would be just another street. I mean, within a block of the Ford Center and Convention Center maybe, but I would have no interest in property to the west 3 or more blocks away along the new 'Grand Boulevard'. But, give me a unique element to design around like a canal and I'm in! Especially with the OK river events and people already in an 'aquatic transport' mood. It's a shame it’s late in the game and will likely never even be an option.

Great Pic and Idea though!

[Kerry]

I disagree entirely... straight roads are more urban IMO. Especially if this is to be a 'Grand Boulevard"

I agree, that is why I don't want an urban road bisecting our central park. How many major roads do other cities having going thru their parks?

[CuatrodeMayo]

Forest Park in STL.

[Kerry]

Forest Park in STL.

I took a look at Forest Park via Google Earth and didn't see any 6 lane roads going thru it.

BTW - that looked like a real cool park.

[mugofbeer]

KC's Ward Boulevard in the Plaza area is a wonderful area and would fit in so well in the
C2S area. The one complaint I had about the river vs. the street was not enough points of access and no river level crossings. This actually made me see it as something of a divider when I was there last summer. Something like this, done right, would really make the CBD area even more of an attraction just as The Plaza has been for KC.

[ljbab728]

I like the idea of a road with curves in it. It would make a nice change from every straight road in OKC and would help reduce speed. An extension of the canal down the center would be really cool.

A possible canal extension is certainly something that the planners should consider when desiging the bouldevard even if that only might happen years from now. Keep in mind, however, that the boulevard will start in the area around Agnew so that could only be for a few blocks of a much longer boulevard.

[Larry OKC]

I took a look at Forest Park via Google Earth and didn't see any 6 lane roads going thru it.

BTW - that looked like a real cool park.

The Boulevard is going to be cutting thru the Park? I thought it was just the northern border of the Park? Maybe you meant dividing the Myriad Gardens and the Park (but isn't there a city block of mixed use development that is already going to be doing that)?

Think it would be nice if the Myriad Gardens could somehow connect with the string of parks instead of getting cut off like the plans show now. But maybe they are afraid the MG would lose its identity/distinctiveness if connected.

...At 1,293 acres, [Forest Park] is approximately 500 acres larger than Central Park in New York. ...

Completely dwarfs our 40 acre "Central Park". The 40 acres (70 when the Promenade Park is added in) always seemed rather on the smallish side to me. Especially when you consider all of the land OKC has within its limits. But then again the entire Core to Shore area that was recently declared blighted was 600+ acres total.

[Kerry]

The Boulevard is going to be cutting thru the Park? I thought it was just the northern border of the Park? Maybe you meant dividing the Myriad Gardens and the Park (but isn't there a city block of mixed use development that is already going to be doing that)?

Your correct Larry. What was I thinking? I retract my concerns. Thanks.

[CuatrodeMayo]

I took a look at Forest Park via Google Earth and didn't see any 6 lane roads going thru it.

BTW - that looked like a real cool park.

It is. It bears great resemblance to Central Park and it used in much the same way. Great zoo (which is FREE).

Forest Park Parkway cuts a nasty gash across the NE portion of the park. It's pretty much a 4-lane road lined with concrete walls. It's sad.

[Kerry]

Forest Park Parkway cuts a nasty gash across the NE portion of the park. It's pretty much a 4-lane road lined with concrete walls. It's sad.

I saw that on Google Street view. What were they thinking?

[Larry OKC]

Your correct Larry. What was I thinking? I retract my concerns. Thanks.

LOL...Not so quick...Wed's Oklahoman mentioned I-40 as bisecting the Park(s). True it isn't the 6 lane Boulevard but it is the 6 (?) lane partially below grade I-40 that is cutting thru the Central Park and the Promenade portion. Will give you points...

[rcjunkie]

LOL...Not so quick...Wed's Oklahoman mentioned I-40 as bisecting the Park(s). True it isn't the 6 lane Boulevard but it is the 6 (?) lane partially below grade I-40 that is cutting thru the Central Park and the Promenade portion. Will give you points...

The new I-40 will not bisect the planned park, what the article was talking about is the old I-40, which is the route for the new boulevard.

[Kerry]

OK - you guys are throwing me off so I went back and checked the most recent renderings I could find on the Core 2 Shore site. No road over 2 lanes wide will be bisecting any parks. I did see where Promenade park will have 5 roads cutting thru it that will essentially turn one large park into 7 smaller parks all next to each other. Not sure I like that. I would rather have just one large intact park that people have to drive around instead of thru.

[metro]

LOL...Not so quick...Wed's Oklahoman mentioned I-40 as bisecting the Park(s). True it isn't the 6 lane Boulevard but it is the 6 (?) lane partially below grade I-40 that is cutting thru the Central Park and the Promenade portion. Will give you points...

New I-40 is going to be 10 lanes.

[/COLOR]

The new I-40 will not bisect the planned park, what the article was talking about is the old I-40, which is the route for the new boulevard.

No the new 10 lane I-40 will be at the southern end of Central Park, right behind the current Union Station, where the tracks were. Then the other large section of "Central Park", that will probably get a different name, is on the other side of the new highway. The two parks will be connected by the Skydance Bridge. Promenade Park is small pocket park connecting Myriad Gardens to the Boulevard and then on the other side of the boulevard, Central Park starts.

OK - you guys are throwing me off so I went back and checked the most recent renderings I could find on the Core 2 Shore site. No road over 2 lanes wide will be bisecting any parks. I did see where Promenade park will have 5 roads cutting thru it that will essentially turn one large park into 7 smaller parks all next to each other. Not sure I like that. I would rather have just one large intact park that people have to drive around instead of thru.

Correct, It will ultimately be a collection of 7 parks if it stays as planned. FYI, as it stands now I've been told ODOT has some pretty serious "inconveniences" the public hasn't really been informed about yet. Stay tuned.

[Kerry]

FYI, as it stands now I've been told ODOT has some pretty serious "inconveniences" the public hasn't really been informed about yet. Stay tuned.

Let me guess, the new depressed highway is below the water table and water is seeping in. They just found that same problem here in Atlanta where I-75/85 is being expanded downtown.

[metro]

Nope, not related to the water table, although I guess that's a possibility.