Classen Boulevard

[fortpatches]

1) I do like that idea.
2) Looks like that would require 4 lanes total though. It looks like what we have now is a compromise between that image when you only have three lanes to work with instead of 4.

[Canoe]

I'm so glad we're going to shut down car lanes used by hundreds of cars per day, maybe thousands, and instead have bike lanes for the 16 bikes per day. Solid effort.

It will place extra stress on the car drivers and if the vehicle and bike lanes are not properly divided then people will try to cheat into the bike lanes. Meanwhile a bicyclist thinks they are safe on the green paint so their guard is down.

[warreng88]

Dude, either way, this is a stupid project. I’d be fine keeping Classen at six lanes but creating a bottleneck here at some pathetic attempt to build out a bike lane network is just dumb. Either go all the way or plan it somewhere else. I’m not a traffic planner but it doesn’t take one to see how dumb this BRT and bike lane thing is. It isn’t going to do anything to help with traffic nor will it significantly change the culture of most people commuting by car in OKC.

Personally I think Classen should be reduced from 6 to 4 lanes with a bus lanes on the right lane and right turns for cars restricted to certain streets. Then multiple bridges should be built over the Classen/Northwest Expressway intersection and Northwest Expressway having true BRT with a double bus highway running in the median of NWE with bridges over each intersection.

A two way cycleway constructed on the east side of Classen and on each side of NWE. It would be an expensive project but worth it in the end. If that can’t be justified then why is this stupid bike lane project taking up an entire lane of traffic which will create bottlenecks at rush hour justified?

Half assing things never works.

I felt like Midtowner was being sarcastic... Could be wrong though.

[Pete]

Everyone just parks at the lot to the west, owned by the church.

Even on Sunday mornings, that lot isn't near full as you can tell from the last photo, which was taken this past Sunday around 11 AM.

[Bowser214]

Looks like they're updating the old Long John Silvers building on NW30th and Classen. Sorry the photo was taken from my car.

[Pete]

Looks like they're updating the old Long John Silvers building on NW30th and Classen. Sorry the photo was taken from my car.

It's a renovation and slight expansion of Pho Cuong -- they are closed temporarily.

[SEMIweather]

It's a renovation and slight expansion of Pho Cuong -- they are closed temporarily.

Damn. Well, at least they're doing it during the hottest part of the year.

[Mississippi Blues]

Damn. Well, at least they're doing it during the hottest part of the year.

Word. Living in the PNW, with the oppressive overcast from September to April, I survived on pho and banh mi thanks to a Vietnamese restaurant next to my apartment. Once it cracked 80 degrees though, it’s all ceviche and tiritas pescado.

[mugofbeer]

https://okcfox.com/news/local/northw...rmosa-medians#

I am not an avid bicyclist but why would you want to impede a major traffic artery instead of considering making something like NW 22nd an "alternative transportation vehicles only (local traffic only) street? Maybe its just me but l would be much more enticed to bike more on a quieter, safer side street than on a loud, commercial street with vehicles constantly crossing and turning in and out of businesses cross-streets.

[josefromtulsa]

https://okcfox.com/news/local/northw...rmosa-medians#

I am not an avid bicyclist but why would you want to impede a major traffic artery instead of considering making something like NW 22nd an "alternative transportation vehicles only (local traffic only) street? Maybe its just me but l would be much more enticed to bike more on a quieter, safer side street than on a loud, commercial street with vehicles constantly crossing and turning in and out of businesses cross-streets.

Dont worry its all a lie. The proposed work on NW 23rd wont make it safer for anyone actually. Theres not going to be any dedicated bike infrastructure so this being called a project for better bike and pedestrian accessibility is just baloney from the engineers behind the project. Its going to be worse as speeds will increase after the removal of the median. Additionally turn lanes will increase the distance that pedestrians will need to cross. This project is about moving cars through the area as fast as possible.

[HangryHippo]

Maybe with Wenger leaving we see some different thinking and a new plan?

[josefromtulsa]

Maybe with Wenger leaving we see some different thinking and a new plan?

Wait hes leaving!? Omg thats the best news ive heard today. I really do hope we get someone in who wants to worry about moving humans in the safest most efficient way possible not cars.

[HangryHippo]

I believe he’s taken a job with the Chickasaw Nation.

[mugofbeer]

Dont worry its all a lie. The proposed work on NW 23rd wont make it safer for anyone actually. Theres not going to be any dedicated bike infrastructure so this being called a project for better bike and pedestrian accessibility is just baloney from the engineers behind the project. Its going to be worse as speeds will increase after the removal of the median. Additionally turn lanes will increase the distance that pedestrians will need to cross. This project is about moving cars through the area as fast as possible.

I'm not worried but l'm just curious what the possible logic would be to do this? Denver has done similar things to a couple of major urban traffic arteries and all l see is more congestion and virtually empty bicycle lanes.

With users of alternative forms of transportation completely vulnerable to autos and the elements, why in the world would planners want to get bicyclists and autos into closer proximity - thus danger? Use a sidestreet for alternative transportation and keep them apart! Let major traffic arteries move traffic!

[DoctorTaco]

I'm not worried but l'm just curious what the possible logic would be to do this? Denver has done similar things to a couple of major urban traffic arteries and all l see is more congestion and virtually empty bicycle lanes.

With users of alternative forms of transportation completely vulnerable to autos and the elements, why in the world would planners want to get bicyclists and autos into closer proximity - thus danger? Use a sidestreet for alternative transportation and keep them apart! Let major traffic arteries move traffic!

Leaving aside the cyclists, 23rd is super intense/scary for pedestrians. The sidewalks are right up against traffic and the street lights are literally IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK, rendering the sidewalks impassable to wheelchairs/strollers. One of the more unpleasant pedstrian experiences in town (and that is saying something) is on the south side of 23rd between Shartel and Robinson. The north side sidewalks are generally nicer and wider but still.

[josefromtulsa]

I'm not worried but l'm just curious what the possible logic would be to do this? Denver has done similar things to a couple of major urban traffic arteries and all l see is more congestion and virtually empty bicycle lanes.

With users of alternative forms of transportation completely vulnerable to autos and the elements, why in the world would planners want to get bicyclists and autos into closer proximity - thus danger? Use a sidestreet for alternative transportation and keep them apart! Let major traffic arteries move traffic!

Increasing interactions between motorists and bicyclists increases safety for all in that it causes drivers to drive more cautiously and be on the lookout for bicyclists/pedestrians, the caveat is that speeds need to be lower than 30 (which NW 23rd is but no one follows due to environmental cues making it easy to drive 35 down) If people want fast, free flowing traffic with two parking spots for every customer than they should go to Chisholm Creek. If people want a walkable, human centric neighborhood with parks and trees then you come to 23rd/Paseo.

[citywokchinesefood]

Increasing interactions between motorists and bicyclists increases safety for all in that it causes drivers to drive more cautiously and be on the lookout for bicyclists/pedestrians, the caveat is that speeds need to be lower than 30 (which NW 23rd is but no one follows due to environmental cues making it easy to drive 35 down) If people want fast, free flowing traffic with two parking spots for every customer than they should go to Chisholm Creek. If people want a walkable, human centric neighborhood with parks and trees then you come to 23rd/Paseo.

You want it to be one way. But it's the other way.

[Mississippi Blues]

You want it to be one way. But it's the other way.

Yeah, that’s the goal of activism. Voicing dissatisfaction so things will change.

[josefromtulsa]

Yeah, that’s the goal of activism. Voicing dissatisfaction so things will change.

What's crazy is advocating for equitable road space for pedestrians and bicyclists in our most urban areas is seen as "activist" or "radical"

A reframing of mugofbeer's comment could be seen as:

" I am not an avid motorist but why would you want to impede a major pedestrian and bicyclist trafficked neighborhood instead of considering making something like i-235 an "cars only street? Maybe its just me but l would be much more enticed to drive more on a dedicated, safer highway than on a vibrant, commercial street with pedestrians making purchases and walking around."

[citywokchinesefood]

Yeah, that’s the goal of activism. Voicing dissatisfaction so things will change.

TIL Slacktivism = Activism that is pretty based.

[josefromtulsa]

TIL Slacktivism = Activism that is pretty based.

I'll just say i spend 40+ hours a week at my job focused on making the roads safer for all central oklahomans, not just drivers. I am passionate about this beyond a paycheck because I see the actual benefits that walkable/bikeable communities have.

Note: I respect anyone commenting on this forum. my disagreements are purely "business" not personal as some on this forum (not just this thread) seem to take any disagreement as disrespect.

[Mississippi Blues]

TIL Slacktivism = Activism that is pretty based.

Hype play on words I guess but it makes no sense. Based.

[Mississippi Blues]

What's crazy is advocating for equitable road space for pedestrians and bicyclists in our most urban areas is seen as "activist" or "radical"

I hear you. It’s a strange dichotomy for sure. The main thing to me is in the overarching point by mugofbeer, which is that a lot of people just aren’t familiar with different methods of transportation. It’s not always a matter of being opposed to more thoughtful infrastructure, it’s often just not understanding why anyone would want to use infrastructure for anything else. In my personal experience, once people get more comfortable with the why aspect of it, it seems like a lightbulb clicks and the walls start to loosen.

[josefromtulsa]

I hear you. It’s a strange dichotomy for sure. The main thing to me is in the overarching point by mugofbeer, which is that a lot of people just aren’t familiar with different methods of transportation. It’s not always a matter of being opposed to more thoughtful infrastructure, it’s often just not understanding why anyone would want to use infrastructure for anything else. In my personal experience, once people get more comfortable with the why aspect of it, it seems like a lightbulb clicks and the walls start to loosen.

Its very difficult to convince people that maybe the way we have been building and planning our city for the last 50 years isnt the best way. I recently read Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution by Janette Sadik-Khan, the former Transportation Commissioner of NYCDOT. When they started doing more human centric transportation like bike lanes, road diets, street plazas, etc there was a ton of pushback from local shops and residents but when folks got used to it they could not imagine going back to the previous street configurations. And its even harder when we (Oklahoma) do projects they often are not the best in terms of design so they dont get as much use as they could, which makes it harder to advocate for more

[SEMIweather]

Its very difficult to convince people that maybe the way we have been building and planning our city for the last 50 years isnt the best way. I recently read Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution by Janette Sadik-Khan, the former Transportation Commissioner of NYCDOT. When they started doing more human centric transportation like bike lanes, road diets, street plazas, etc there was a ton of pushback from local shops and residents but when folks got used to it they could not imagine going back to the previous street configurations. And its even harder when we (Oklahoma) do projects they often are not the best in terms of design so they dont get as much use as they could, which makes it harder to advocate for more

I think the bolded portion of your post is a very good point. Every time I drive up Classen between NW 10th and NW 16th I cringe at how that project turned out. Good intentions, and on a stretch of road that is a good candidate for a road diet, but the execution is so poor that I honestly think it's going to have a negative net effect on alternative modes of transportation. Hopefully the 23rd Street redesign is done properly.