Friends for a Better Boulevard

[CaptDave]

I hope they halted everything between Penn and Hudson pending the recommendations of StanTech. I think we are going to have some of the western roadway elevated on the berm simply because of the elevation change from the I40 off ramp flyover to street level. There has been a significant amount of work done on the overpass above Reno so I do not see anyone asking for that to be abandoned.

[CaptDave]

That would be ideal Sid, but I think there has been too much already built to reasonably hope for that part to change. IIRC there are a couple of flyovers already built over I40 and waiting only to be connected to the Blvd. I wish something could have been done about the elevation change but that needed to have been caught about 5 years ago.....

[Teo9969]

I don't think an elevated roadway at portions of either end of the boulevard is such a terrible thing, nor will it be a barrier that inhibits growth south of the Boulevard as long as there is a good window where substantive development can push south of the old I-40 barrier, and then flow out to the east and west south of an elevated roadway.

To the east You have the Cottonseed Mill and I-40 swings up over the Boulevard anyway, so I don't think there is any real loss in development opportunity.

The issue is that a window between Walker and Shields simply is not a big enough, especially given the size of the Central Park, for development to flow from the CBD down to the River. That window only gives one block of development between Park and Elevated Roadway. Even if you elevate it after Western, you literally triple the amount of land available for non-MAPS, C2S development that can be tied into the CBD. If you get substantive development South of the Boulevard between Western and Walker, I think that can easily push development all the way to Penn on the south side of the Boulevard.

[Teo9969]

To me the biggest loss is to the Boathouse District that will have the elevated portion as their skyline view to the N/NW.

Eh...I think it won't be noticed with the skyline being in sight along with some of the taller Bricktown structures that are going to be built in the next 10 years.

And there will be an NFL stadium at the cotton seed site in 30 years anyway

[BoulderSooner]

To me the biggest loss is to the Boathouse District that will have the elevated portion as their skyline view to the N/NW.

the new BLVD will provide another direct access to the district .. that is a huge win IMHO

[Larry OKC]

Lost me on that one...how is the Boulevard going to provide direct access (that isn't already being provided by the relocated I-40). Isn't the Boulevard a few blocks north of I-40 and the River/Boathouse District???

[Fantastic]

Lost me on that one...how is the Boulevard going to provide direct access (that isn't already being provided by the relocated I-40). Isn't the Boulevard a few blocks north of I-40 and the River/Boathouse District???

I-40 does not provide DIRECT access to the Boathouse District. The nearest exits are at Shields and Robinson (on the west requiring travel through Bricktown) and Eastern (on the east requiring travel through the East Reno Industrial District), either way, I-40 (new or old) doesn't have any access to the BHD.

What I assume BoulderSooner is referring to is the Blvd-I40 connection which includes access to and from SE 5th at the Phillips Ave. intersection and possibly Lincoln Blvd

[Teo9969]

I-40 does not provide DIRECT access to the Boathouse District. The nearest exits are at Shields and Robinson (on the west requiring travel through Bricktown) and Eastern (on the east requiring travel through the East Reno Industrial District), either way, I-40 (new or old) doesn't have any access to the BHD.

What I assume BoulderSooner is referring to is the Blvd-I40 connection which includes access to and from SE 5th at the Phillips Ave. intersection and possibly Lincoln Blvd

This is the flyover that will connect to the Boulevard and the Boathouse district.

Also, is this the eastern end of the Boulevard? I've never figured that out.

[Snowman]

Also, is this the eastern end of the Boulevard? I've never figured that out.

Pretty much, it is for the boulevard's eastbound traffic; westbound i40, southbound i235 and northbound i35 will all have an exits that merge with it to allow access to the westbound boulevard lanes

[BoulderSooner]

This is the flyover that will connect to the Boulevard and the Boathouse district.

Also, is this the eastern end of the Boulevard? I've never figured that out.

correct that flyover is the exit from the blvd to I 40 east .. and from the blvd to lincoln

[Bellaboo]

This is the flyover that will connect to the Boulevard and the Boathouse district.

Also, is this the eastern end of the Boulevard? I've never figured that out.

Go look up 'Forward I-40' and it shows everything.

[OKCisOK4me]

Better yet... 40 Forward: Oklahoma's I-40 Crosstown Expressway

[Larry OKC]

I-40 does not provide DIRECT access to the Boathouse District. The nearest exits are at Shields and Robinson (on the west requiring travel through Bricktown) and Eastern (on the east requiring travel through the East Reno Industrial District), either way, I-40 (new or old) doesn't have any access to the BHD.

What I assume BoulderSooner is referring to is the Blvd-I40 connection which includes access to and from SE 5th at the Phillips Ave. intersection and possibly Lincoln Blvd

That is interesting that a road further way would have direct access rather than the road that looks like it is right next to it...go figure.

[jn1780]

That is interesting that a road further way would have direct access rather than the road that looks like it is right next to it...go figure.

Yeah, but at least you wouldn't have to drive all the way through Bricktown and then have to backtrack using Lincoln.

[jn1780]

Confused by this. How is turning right on the grid "backtracking"?

The proposal is simply giving you a fancy, dedicated right hand turn. Reno option is standard grid, right? Or do you simply mean the zig zag Lincoln takes north of the river?

Ok, its only a block futher south with two or three less lights and less traffic to contend with. Its a nice option if that bridge is going to be there anyway for I-40 access. Im sure boathouse district access was an afterthought when they design the that bridge.

[Snowman]

Ok, its only a block futher south with two or three less lights and less traffic to contend with. Its a nice option if that bridge is going to be there anyway for I-40 access. Im sure boathouse district access was an afterthought when they design the that bridge.

At the time the configuration was chosen it becoming a district was not even an idea yet, it would have just been Regatta Park with only temporary structures to store boats in the park. The Chesapeake Boathouse planning might have been underway.

[OKCisOK4me]

One of Pete's photos:


I don't know if this had been discussed yet, but it seems to me that the city would be better off working on the center portion of the boulevard now, rather than waiting, especially for aesthetic looks when it comes to showing our city off on national TV. Once the old Crosstown is completely down and Shields is reopened, they could work on the boulevard from just west of Shields over to Walker or even Lee.

Is this in the works or are we going to have to deal with this unsightliness for a long time to come?

[jn1780]

We have to keep in mind that the bridge demolition was scheduled to last until the end of the year so their somewhat ahead of schedule. This central section is still being planned and designed though, but it should be 'let' the first couple of months of the new year. Unfortunately its going to look unsightly for the entire season, but at least it will be under construction this spring. I guess construction looks better than just plain looking bad? lol

[OKCisOK4me]

Yeah, I failed to mention that I did attend the public hearing presented by ODOT, so I do realize that there is still a lot of planning going into this portion, i.e. four lanes vs. 6 lanes, sidewalk widths, what to put in the median, etc. I just hope they figure it out soon and construct it and then tie the ends into it since it seems it may take longer with that, especially figuring what to do with the west portion. Of course, the construction of a passage under the BNSF viaduct will be quite interesting as well!

[betts]

Haste makes waste. I want the boulevard to be well planned, so we are not either unhappy with it as soon as it is constructed or having to spend money to tear out portions that create issues for other forms of transit or utilities. To me, just having the old I-40 down is such a visual improvement that I'm willing to wait so that we make sure we're building the new boulevard correctly.

[jn1780]

Removing those billboards would help.

[Urban Pioneer]

OKCOMG | South Robinson Avenue

[OKCisOK4me]

Im imagining they'll use the boulevard right-of-way for Thunder parking anyway.

[KayneMo]

Ackerman Blvd, maybe?

[OKCisOK4me]

Ackerman Blvd, maybe?

I like Ackerman Circle better ;-)