Costco

[OKC Guy]

The issue here is that there will be hundreds of people swarming all over Costco, and not just in the short term because this will likely be their only OKC location for quite some time.

I remember how bad traffic was getting in and out of Costco lots in California where there are dozens of locations. People love that place. I also love it but I had to psyche myself up to go and deal with the crowds, especially because they don't have self checkout or much in the way of extended hours. So really no getting around the fact it's going to be a bit of an ordeal.

For perspective, it was common to have 10 cars in line for every gas pump. I also remember having to leave because there were simply no parking spaces. And this was in an outlying area of L.A., not some densely populated area.

It was the same way when I lived in San Diego years ago, always packed. But fast checkouts and great selection.

At this location I don’t think there is much they could have done different. Had they been on a lot south of corner then all traffic would feed to Western.

One good thing, you mentioned folks coming from other areas to shop here. I agree, and all those folks are likely not aware of the Chisolm complex. I expect a good amount of added business to Chisolm from this Costco.

[Celebrator]

Looking at your aerials, really, how are they expecting people to enter? Do they want people coming from the east or north to turn east on the access road and enter either at that first drive or way down at the gas pumps, since there is no left turn lane at Pawnee and Western? This looks like a cluster waiting to happen.

[jn1780]

I wouldn't worry about the left hand turn lane at Western. I made a comment about there not being a left hand turn light yet and they installed a new pole with a light two days later. It takes the city 1 day of work to repaint lines and remove cover over new light and I imagine they don't want people thinking Costco is already open.

[Zuplar]

I was really debating about getting a membership, even thought I have a Sams and am on the south side, but after thinking about Pete's comments about how busy it's going to be, I'm going to pass.

[Pete]

I was really debating about getting a membership, even thought I have a Sams and am on the south side, but after thinking about Pete's comments about how busy it's going to be, I'm going to pass.

I'm not planning to join right away but probably will once the intial surge passes.

They are pretty great. Much will depend if they have items that you want and can't get elsewhere for the same type of pricing.

I have a new Sam's less than a mile from my house and it's so incredibly easy to get in and out, that I don't have an immediate need.

[Zuplar]

I'm not planning to join right away but probably will once the intial surge passes.

They are pretty great. Much will depend if they have items that you want and can't get elsewhere for the same type of pricing.

I have a new Sam's less than a mile from my house and it's so incredibly easy to get in and out, that I don't have an immediate need.

Yeah I'll wait and see I think. I've never shopped at one, so really, I don't know what I'm missing.

[okatty]

Their membership storefront in Edmond was running about 30 minutes to get a membership set up today. Running promos as noted above. Not surprisingly they are promoting their credit card which provides an additional cash card during sign up ($60) and some pretty decent freebie type coupons.

[Pete]

From yesterday

[Doug Loudenback]

This has probably been said already, but I wasn't clear about the access points to the Costco warehouse. So, after my wife and I got our membership cards in Edmond, we checked it out. There are 2 access points.

1) the main access is from the eastbound turnpike service road, just east of western. 2) the secondary access point is at western immediately south of the main building and runs east from western. An as yet unfinished stoplight marks the point. After passing the southside of the building, it turns north and flows into the main parking lot.

Since we will get there by driving north on the Broadway extension, we will exit that road at 122nd street, proceed West to western, turn north to the stoplight referenced in 2), above, and proceed accordingly.

Although we got our membership cards today, they weren't set up to do photo ids. That will have to wait until the store opens, and I can hardly wait for that to happen!

[Pete]

From Sunday.

Barriers have been placed to prevent cars from exiting the parking lot and accessing the on-ramp to the turnpike. People will have to go back out to Western and then take a right on Memorial.

Also, they have repainted the roadway to create a dedicated left turn lane from southbound Western to the road behind the store.

[jn1780]

I like how the parking spots are spaced out. I don't see that very often. I don't understand why they just didn't move to the entrance from service road 50 feet to the east so people couldn't get on the ramp, seems simpler than having to maintain barriers. Those barriers are just dividers that can easily be damaged or knocked down, right?

[Pete]

^

There is a major drainage ditch running through that corner of the property and I'm sure that had a lot to do with the placement of the exit.

The barriers look to be metal, so not those plastic things you can just drive over.

[David]

Is that a sidewalk going out to the service road more or less straight out from the entrance? If so I like the idea, though it would be nice to have a matching sidewalk out along the road as well.

[Plutonic Panda]

I thought new sidewalks were required for new developments where non existed?

[jn1780]

Costco did add a new sidewalk all along western and the service road. See Pete's post 1092.

[Pete]

Here are a couple of shots of the barrier as you exit the parking lot to the north:

[Plutonic Panda]

Costco did add a new sidewalk all along western and the service road. See Pete's post 1092.

Somehow I missed them. Thanks.

[jn1780]

Here are a couple of shots of the barrier as you exit the parking lot to the north:

Challenge accepted! lol

[Pete]

Challenge accepted! lol

Ha, I was just thinking that someone in a big truck is going to take that on at some point.

[Zuplar]

They probably should have extended it down just a bit further, I could see people still trying to go around it if there is no traffic.

[jn1780]

Ha, I was just thinking that someone in a big truck is going to take that on at some point.

Or someone going against traffic and making a u-turn just so they can save a couple of minutes.

Edit: Zuplar beat me to it. They are obviously just there to make it clear that it would be an illegal act to try to beat that barrier and use the ramp. Barrier is designed to fail if someone hits it so it doesn't kill them.

[David]

Costco did add a new sidewalk all along western and the service road. See Pete's post 1092.

Oh, I see it now, It wasn't jumping out at me in the more recent drone shots, I think I was seeing it as the curb.

[DowntownMan]

Ha, I was just thinking that someone in a big truck is going to take that on at some point.

They put up some of these just like this at memorial square at penn and memorial exit. They are half destroyed already.

Maybe we should stop allowing the street cuts to be lined up with the on ramps and off ramps

Example: they are doing it again at Rockwell and memorial at the new deer crest development

[jn1780]

They put up some of these just like this at memorial square at penn and memorial exit. They are half destroyed already.

Maybe we should stop allowing the street cuts to be lined up with the on ramps and off ramps

Example: they are doing it again at Rockwell and memorial at the new deer crest development

Deer Crest should use that Rockwell light that has been sitting there the past three years unused. But this should probably be dropped because this topic has already gone down the rabbit hole before with a traffic discussion.

[MikeLucky]

My guess is they specifically made it to not allow people to get straight on the turnpike because then you'd have people waiting to leave the parking lot until all the folks entering the turnpike have passed. I think it's a specific spreading of traffic out of the parking lot. But, I'm not a civil engineer so it's just a guess. They seem to have done the same thing purposely at the Sam's on Penn and Memorial. You can't come out of the North exit and get right on the turnpike.