OKC Boulevard

[SEMIweather]

still looks like a freeway to me. ....

The fact that they (re)built the thing this way and are going to have a 25 mph speed limit for a significant portion of the route is hilarious to me. People consistently drive 5-10 mph over the speed limit on the 25 mph portion of NW 23rd, and that stretch of road isn't even particularly conducive to speeding, so lord knows what's going to happen here.

[BoulderSooner]

The fact that they (re)built the thing this way and are going to have a 25 mph speed limit for a significant portion of the route is hilarious to me. People consistently drive 5-10 mph over the speed limit on the 25 mph portion of NW 23rd, and that stretch of road isn't even particularly conducive to speeding, so lord knows what's going to happen here.

west of klien i think it is 45 mph speed limit

[Rover]

After significant landscaping with just a little maturity this should create a significantly more aesthetically pleasing entry into west downtown than has existed for decades.

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

After significant landscaping with just a little maturity this should create a significantly more aesthetically pleasing entry into west downtown than has existed for decades.

All this work to make it appealing, but this morning I noticed the homeless camp has become very visible coming from the city. Tents, blankets hanging, trash etc.
{I don't know what the solution is, just pointing this out}

[Pete]

All this work to make it appealing, but this morning I noticed the homeless camp has become very visible coming from the city. Tents, blankets hanging, trash etc.
{I don't know what the solution is, just pointing this out}

There are literally hundreds of homeless camped out on the north side of the boulevard and west of Western.

I believe this is all ODOT land that they don't maintain or monitor in any way, which is why people have settled there.

[OkieRedRaider]

There are literally hundreds of homeless camped out on the north side of the boulevard and west of Western.

I believe this is all ODOT land that they don't maintain or monitor in any way, which is why people have settled there.

I own land down there and it is a constant battle. The city says their hands are tied (ie issuing code violations) because some of that is owned by the state. When they do get run off they just move across the street until that person moves them then its back to where they were before. Just a cycle.

[jn1780]

I own land down there and it is a constant battle. The city says their hands are tied (ie issuing code violations) because some of that is owned by the state. When they do get run off they just move across the street until that person moves them then its back to where they were before. Just a cycle.

Yeah, the city does go through there every couple of months and cleans everything up and runs them off. They just come back. The Jesus house is across the street. That's why they choose that spot. The city rescue mission is also near there.

[Pete]

[HangryHippo]

...

[Pete]

[betts]

There are literally hundreds of homeless camped out on the north side of the boulevard and west of Western.

I believe this is all ODOT land that they don't maintain or monitor in any way, which is why people have settled there.

That wouldn’t have happened had they kept the boulevard on the ground as we tried very had to convince them to do. ODOT has been creating homeless shelters for years now.

[G.Walker]

It's astonishing on how much small dirty industry aligns the new boulevard coming into the city from the west. Not a good first impression or gateway for visitors coming off of I-40 into downtown.

[Quicker]

That wouldn’t have happened had they kept the boulevard on the ground as we tried very had to convince them to do. ODOT has been creating homeless shelters for years now.

Hmmm...help me with that. The same ODOT property would still be there and still be the same size... it’s a block or two west of Western and it appears that they’re there because it’s out of the way and they’re not hassled there. Explain to me the correlation with the overpass because I’m just not seeing it... Where would you like to chase them off to?

[HangryHippo]

It's astonishing on how much small dirty industry aligns the new boulevard coming into the city from the west. Not a good first impression or gateway for visitors coming off of I-40 into downtown.

Well, to be fair, we want to be consistent with the impression visitors are given coming in from the airport.

[jonny d]

It's astonishing on how much small dirty industry aligns the new boulevard coming into the city from the west. Not a good first impression or gateway for visitors coming off of I-40 into downtown.

Burn 'em all down, amirite?

[Pete]

It's astonishing on how much small dirty industry aligns the new boulevard coming into the city from the west. Not a good first impression or gateway for visitors coming off of I-40 into downtown.

It's because what was there for decades was a raised interstate and it was generally undesirable property.

As you get east of Classen, you can see that area has really started to clean up and be redeveloped.

[Pete]

You can see they have started landscaping the east section and the west section work is well underway:

[onthestrip]

Looks really close to being done. Theres a dozen or more new trees that looked like they have already died on west part of Blvd.

[aDark]

Looks really close to being done. Theres a dozen or more new trees that looked like they have already died on west part of Blvd.

Saw that as well. I understand those trees are not meant to be watered as heavily as they have been. I feel for the contractor as the recent rains have been incredibly tough on all projects currently underway in the metro.

[DowntownMan]

You can see they have started landscaping the east section and the west section work is well underway:

Are we going to put in all the landscaping on the east side just to have to rip it up when the city moves the intersection 200 feet to the west....

Think we could do some planning and coordinate this. I understand the responsibility is the state currently and then once handed over to the city, they will make changes.
No matter who is responsible. It is still tax dollars being spent and I wish we could be more responsible and coordinate efforts

[Pete]

Are we going to put in all the landscaping on the east side just to have to rip it up when the city moves the intersection 200 feet to the west....

It seems the city has abandoned moving that intersection.

[SEMIweather]

It seems the city has abandoned moving that intersection.

Good. It's going to be a mess either way, may as well just leave it the way it is for now.

[David]

Yeah, especially since leaving it in the current location means we might be able to just wait out the current problem.

[OKC2017]

the tract between walker and reno seems complete. is it open yet or will it open soon?

[jn1780]

the tract between walker and reno seems complete. is it open yet or will it open soon?

Not open yet. I would think it would be best if they waited until all signals are installed and operational. That would immediately open up a lot of traffic to the eastern parts of blvd that is still seeing a lot of construction.