OKC Boulevard

[jn1780]

They should have waited until Reno and Blvd signal was installed and running. Its going to quickly become a dangerous intersection when BLVD traffic picks up. Its difficult to get through, because of the angle it intersects.

[SEMIweather]

Yeah I can't believe they didn't bother to install all of the stoplights before opening this.

[David]

Par for the course.

[catch22]

While this boulevard is a mess urban planning wise, some gratitude is due to Bob Kemper, Jeff Bezdek, and the entire Better Boulevard group. This was very very close to being quietly pushed through under the radar as an elevated expressway replacing the I-40 alignment.

At least that didn’t happen and future progress can be made incrementally bringing this design back to human scale, it could have been a lot worse.

[HOT ROD]

very true Catch. That IMO was the beginning of true change in OKC - when real citizens stood up and were heard by the OKC proletariat. Although ODOT didn't relent to the best and most logical choice, you're right in that we have something better than what WAS originally designed thanks to Jeff and Co's persistence.

It's nice to see people in OKC who care and stand up - even better when the city listens. Now if we could just get the state to listen then OK will be in the top 10 and OKC will compete with other major cities without handicap.

[LocoAko]

They opened it without having all of the lights installed??? Are there stop signs in their place? .....

[Pete]

They opened it without having all of the lights installed??? Are there stop signs in their place? .....

Yes, when I took photos over the weekend, they were finishing the striping but none of the light poles had been installed.

I'm not sure why they just didn't wait a little longer to get that done. They are going to have to close each intersection when they do make those installations.

Maybe some of the parts were delayed and they didn't want to wait for them?

[Urban Pioneer]

While this boulevard is a mess urban planning wise, some gratitude is due to Bob Kemper, Jeff Bezdek, and the entire Better Boulevard group. This was very very close to being quietly pushed through under the radar as an elevated expressway replacing the I-40 alignment.

At least that didn’t happen and future progress can be made incrementally bringing this design back to human scale, it could have been a lot worse.

Thanks for the kind words friend.

[HangryHippo]

The article in the Journal Record says it best (and worst). We traded one highway for another.

“The former Interstate 40 crosstown was formally reopened Monday as the city’s new gateway corridor into the downtown business district.”

[Roger S]

They opened it without having all of the lights installed??? Are there stop signs in their place? .....

Occasionally... Not all are 4 way stops and the one with the least visibility (Westbound at Walker) is only a 2 way. So you get to cross Walker blind to your right.

[Pete]

I've said all along it's like we just kicked out the supports of the old I-40 and now have it lying flat on the ground.

[Ross MacLochness]

Hey, but at least it's right next to the new park, convention center, arena, and convention hotel - sure to become one of the highest density pedestrian areas in the city!

[Pete]

There is talk that now that the city has ownership/control, that bike lanes and other improvements will be made.

But of course the way it is built is problematic in ways that will make it hard to make meaningful change.

[LordGerald]

I've said all along it's like we just kicked out the supports of the old I-40 and now have it lying flat on the ground.

Years ago, I was at a meeting with LEOs and the chief engineer for the project never referred to the "Boulevard," as a "Boulevard." He kept calling it a "bypass." The other "B" word never emanated from his mouth.

[Pete]

My understanding is that several downtown power brokers lobbied very hard so that this roadway could be used as a bypass and as a quick way in and out of downtown.

And that's pretty much what they got.

[Ross MacLochness]

Same reason we have those terrible stop light enforced parking garage exits at Main and Hudson, the sky bridge above, a one block stretch of no bike lanes on sheridan our supposed future protected bike route, and the reason we still don't have protected bike lanes on EK gaylord. I'm sure the list goes on.

[CloudDeckMedia]

Mayor Holt tweeted that city employees "are doing what they can to make it the best they can till all the signals are all in."

I've alerted my cycling buddies of the problem. There are several groups that ride downtown each week, and there's the real potential for a catastrophe as cyclists & motorists become accustomed to it.

[Of Sound Mind]

Good for the power brokers!

[Rover]

A smooth way in and out of downtown. I’m amazed anyone would like that.

[David]

Steve is doing good work this morning pushing Mayor Holt and the city on Twitter about the lack of signalling and signage.

https://twitter.com/davidfholt/statu...44453011984388

[Roger S]

^^^

Glad to see they are addressing the intersection I mentioned above.... I had to roll way out into the northbound Walker lanes this morning to see if anyone was coming from southbound.

[Dob Hooligan]

Grabbed Juan and we drove it from the west to the Boathouse District and back this morning. I think it works pretty good.

I think the early users will be low volume enough that the stop signs will function well enough until the stop lights can be installed in the next few weeks.

As a road that gets people off I-44, I-40, I-35 and gives them easy access to our shiny toys of the renovated downtown area, I think it is gonna do a great job.

[BDP]

Here is a shot of the Western/Reno interchange which shows how they have almost completely cut off Exchange and access to the bridge that leads to the stockyards.

So bizarre.

At this point, it seems like it may make the most sense to redo / improve the Klein / Exchange / 3rd St. interchange and make Klein the main connector from Reno to Exchange.

[OkiePoke]

I've watched a bunch of people get pulled over today for turning left from SW 3rd onto Walker.

I did hear that the boulevard was set to be open officially in September after the traffic lights would have been installed. The "Grand Opening" was moved up to August due to it being the only day the Governor and Mayor could align their schedules.

If that is the case, what a huge crock of sh.. from Odot & the City.

[Roger S]

I've watched a bunch of people get pulled over today for turning left from SW 3rd onto Walker.I.

I've been getting a kick out of watching the drivers that don't know what a double yellow line means on Lee and Shartel now that they are both two-way streets from Sheridan to Reno.