Classen Boulevard

[baralheia]

So how do they have this much pull with the ULI and the city? After three years the most ULI has come up with for Envision 240 is mowing and painting the underpasses. I like the Classen the area and am rooting for it but it would be nice if some of the love flowed south.

I agree... I'd love to see more improvement along 240, but according to the City's website for Envision 240:

Next Steps: The South Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce has taken the lead to implement the report’s recommendations and communicate with the community. If you have questions or comments, contact Elaine Lyons, President of the South OKC Chamber, at (405) 634-1436.

So the Chamber has to take point on this one. But let's not derail this thread - perhaps we should create a dedicated thread for Envision 240.

[rezman]

Those "Route 66 origins" don't have a huge amount of basis in fact, although it's true that in the 1930s 66 ran along the boulevard from NW 23 to NW 39. The true origin of the boulevard, though, was Anton Classen's initiation of "sprawl" when he developed the area and built the streetcar line out to Belle Isle (when it was an amusement park).

In the glory years of Route 66, it came into OKC from Edmond by way of Kelly, swerved west to Lincoln where I44 now runs, went south on Lincoln to NE 23 at the Capitol, west on 23rd to Classen, north on Classen to NW 39, then west on 39th to Bethany. Around 1940, the alignment changed to continue west on 23rd to Portland, then north on Portland to 39th, bypassing the boulevard entirely and avoiding much of the residential area. Remnants of the curve at NW 39 and Portland remain today though you have to look closely to see it behind the SW corner of the intersection. Portland marked the west city limits in the 40's, and as recently as 1948 everything west of there was farmland.

There's a connection, true, but it's pretty remote. The Milk Bottle is almost the only remnant of it, but the "BEVO" sign built into the brickwork of a building a bit to the north is also historic...

Hey Jim, didn't somewhere in the mix, the alignment also changed to west on Britton from Kelly to Western then south to 39th ?.

[LakeEffect]

Based that on quite a bit of research.

There were also Alt-66 routes through OKC, but I didn't map those.

[CS_Mike]

Classen is one of the few streets with sufficient capacity for the car volume. Instead of interfering with something that works, what about turning Western into that dedicated bike, bus or light rail route?

This is an issue of EXCESS capacity rather than sufficient capacity. Remember that there's no longer an exit onto Classen from I-40, so all of that exiting traffic ends up on Western instead. That's why there's such a disparity in traffic counts. There's no longer a need to have 6 lanes south of 13th Street. If that need no longer exists, then the excess lanes should be put to better use.

[RodH]

This is an issue of EXCESS capacity rather than sufficient capacity. Remember that there's no longer an exit onto Classen from I-40, so all of that exiting traffic ends up on Western instead. That's why there's such a disparity in traffic counts. There's no longer a need to have 6 lanes south of 13th Street. If that need no longer exists, then the excess lanes should be put to better use.

When the blvd is completed Classen and Western will be connected at Reno and Classen will be connected to the I-40 exit.

[onthestrip]

Not sure I have ever seen vehicle traffic issues on Classen. It could easily go to two lanes to support pedestrian and bike traffic.

[SouthSide]

Asking how they accomplished something is not derailing the thread in my opinion. Apparently this project will keep the influence and resources of the ULI and the city while other projects don't.

[shawnw]

I'm sure many of you have seen that this previously sidewalk-less stretch of Classen is finally getting a sidewalk. Long overdue. I'm surprised they are actually undertaking this because the significant endeavor of cutting through the hillsides along the street there. I need to stop and get a picture, it's interesting. One lane of Classen has been closed for a week or two while they've worked on this.


This stretch for example is cut back all the way to the wooden fence and down even with the curb currently.

[Pete]

Thanks for sharing this.

I've seen more than one person in a wheelchair or pushing a baby buggy having to walk right on Classen (and further to the south as well) due to this issue.

There are actually lots of people out walking around in this area, as I previously lived pretty nearby.

[onthestrip]

Hopefully some improvements to pedestrian crossing at 16th and Classen will come after this. Its like playing frogger when crossing classen there. Maybe the pivot project apartments will spur that.

[CCOKC]

I noticed that there appears to be some angled parking on the east side of Classen just north of 13th street. IIRC there was a building demolished at that corner not too terribly long ago.

[Buffalo Bill]

Parallel parking. It was a TV and VCR repair store.

[Pete]

Photo of the new sidewalks going in on the east side of Classen and between 13th and 18th.

[benjico]

Great progress. Now let's cut it to two lanes and add a protected bike lane...

[shawnw]

I mean, we've been doing fine with just the two lanes for weeks now....

[jedicurt]

I mean, we've been doing fine with just the two lanes for weeks now....

agreed. the first time I went down it... I was like "O man, this is going to be a nightmare"... but it really hasn't been... I would be completely okay with them just permanently making it two lanes and add a bike lane

[Teo9969]

Classen is significantly busier north of 23rd, but I definitely would be good with 2 lanes on the south as long as it makes sense with a future streetcar extension.

[Pete]

Classen is significantly busier north of 23rd, but I definitely would be good with 2 lanes on the south as long as it makes sense with a future streetcar extension.

But even north of 23rd, the huge majority of time the traffic isn't that bad. I drive it several times a week.

The entire boulevard could easily be reduced to 4 lanes, especially given the center turn median.

[LakeEffect]

But even north of 23rd, the huge majority of time the traffic isn't that bad. I drive it several times a week.

The entire boulevard could easily be reduced to 4 lanes, especially given the center turn median.

You could make left turns potentially safer too - give more space for queuing, etc.

[Laramie]

Cycletrack protected bike lanes

A busy avenue like Classen will require some kind of protected bike lanes. Talked with a few bikers who are familiar with the bike trails in OKC. Many of the street bike lanes are unprotected; therefore it's the drivers who need to be more aware of their existence. One in particular is NW 39th Street between Youngs Blvd., & Penn Avenue.

My brother & his wife frequent the Oklahoma River bike trails on weekends; they do not trust the streets. I use to jog those river trails, now the weekend bike traffic has become so intense that my activities are restricted to the downtown YMCA upper track over the gym, pool & the weight rooms.

It will take time for bikers to feel the trust needed to use bike lanes on busy avenues especially the unprotected ones: https://www.google.com/maps/place/NW...3!4d-97.547068

Pedestrian & Bicycle Information Center: The cost of a five-foot bicycle lane can range from approximately $5,000 to $535,000 per mile, with an average cost around $130,000. The costs can vary greatly due to differences in project specifications and the scale and length of the treatment. http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/planning/..._bikelanes.cfm

[SEMIweather]

You could make left turns potentially safer too - give more space for queuing, etc.

This really needs to be done. I drive Classen all the time and see so many accidents and close calls from people trying to make left turns onto the side streets while people on the side streets try to turn left onto Classen. There's no reason for the median to break at literally every side street. I really believe that closing off the median and having dedicated left turn/u-turn areas every quarter mile or so would (a) be much safer and (b) result in improved traffic flow.

[gopokes88]

But even north of 23rd, the huge majority of time the traffic isn't that bad. I drive it several times a week.

The entire boulevard could easily be reduced to 4 lanes, especially given the center turn median.

You could reduce it to 4 lanes, a center turn lane, bike lanes and it would flow just as well.

But the invisible anti center lane lobby is so strong and powerful. We have an easier time getting marijuana legislation passed than getting a turn lane built.

[mugofbeer]

Serious question because Denver has done a similar project on a similar through street, S Broadway, out of downtown. S. Broadway was 4 lanes in each direction with one being dedicated to buses. They took one additional lane and made dedicated bike lanes and street parking. Denver has a pretty significant bike riding population but casual observations when I am downtown show virtually no users. I'm sure there are some users especially during rush hour but even if 150 bikes use the path, I don't see the justification of taking a lane of one of the busiest streets carrying 32,000 cars a day.

I doubt Classen is as busy but I ask the same question. If daily bike use is, say, 100 bikes a day, how do you justify taking a full lane? Many bikers in Denver still use a 2 lane street to the east of Broadway because they feel it is far safer and far more serene (their verbage). Why not have dedicated bike streets for bikers only except for local car traffic rather than trying to force bikes and cars together on extremely busy streets?

[Laramie]

It is difficult to gauge a designated bike lane on a busy avenue like Classen based on our current bike usage. Just based on the increased usage of the bikes on the river trails, you could see a serge in riders if protected lanes were in place; riders need to feel safe.

A nice route could begin in Scissortail Park west to Classen or Western Avenues combination north to Memorial Park @N.W. 36th Street.

[mugofbeer]

So, my point being, why use Classen? Why not use side streets that are in the regular grid, designate them "bikes only except for local traffic," and keep cars and bikes apart? Some daily bikers may not care about mixing it up with cars but if the desire is to attract new bikers, they may want a more secure and calm route.

I just can't imagine enough people in OKC becoming long distance bikers to justify the loss of traffic lanes and bike lane construction for 50 or so users a day. If my user number is low, please correct me. I just base it on what I see in Denver which is a relatively high bike riding city.