Innovation Link

[Pete]

[Pete]

I made this map so it is not official, but these are the general areas they seem to be focusing on:

[HangryHippo]

I made this map so it is not official, but these are the general areas they seem to be focusing on:

That’s still too far from the OUHSC campus and not at all convenient for employees or visitors to the hospitals.

[Pete]

The whole area is very spread out and of course separated from downtown by the interstate.

But by concentrating on this area it would be easy to tie into the street car system.

[jonny d]

That’s still too far from the OUHSC campus and not at all convenient for employees or visitors to the hospitals.

So where would you have them focus development on?

[Pete]

I outlined the most built up area of this disctrict and overlayed it over downtown.

And you can see, it covers about the same area as the CBD, Bricktown and Deep Deuce combined.

[OKC Guy]

The whole area is very spread out and of course separated from downtown by the interstate.

But by concentrating on this area it would be easy to tie into the street car system.

Which I said all along the SC messed up not going thru this area to start. If instead of circular route they had made tic tac toe type layout in core - then spurs could have easily been extended to surrounding roads. Now it would be whole new circular basically. If the 10th street SC route ran only east/west then could have just extended to this area. Oh well, pipe dream now and expenses to do this area with SC will be so high due to how current system is designed.

By the way they have been doing sidewalk work on 10th for months now, between 235 and Lincoln. Its some type of prisoner work program (not 100% sure).

[aDark]

WOW. That proposed change to the State Capitol is fantastic!! The removal of the surface parking due south of the Capitol building drastically changes the area. This is fantastic.

[Pete]

[OKC Guy]

Thats a very aggressive plan. Looks great though. And will take some of Science and Math land. Would be a game changer for sure.

[shawnw]

They've been having frequent events at the Beacon this year, so I'm sure that's part of focusing on that area.

[Pete]

Apart from funding and all that fun stuff, this seems to be a logical way to try and do something to bridge the massive gap between downtown and that area.

At least they could focus on a relatively small and highly visible area.

Otherwise, the existing infrastructure and crazy layout makes any real change over there almost impossible.

[Anonymous.]

The configuration of all the crazy on and off ramps makes this bridge nearly impossible without a full cap somewhere... But of course, money.

[Pete]

It's amazing the billions and trillions of dollars we spend in this country trying to undo things where billions and trillions have already been spent.

[AnguisHerba]

ODOT's shrine to the automobile, Lincoln Ave, really hurts this area. It is basically an at grade interstate that's swallowing the entire Capitol complex - destroying any walkability, bike-ability, and general sense of place on the near east side.

[Plutonic Panda]

ODOT's shrine to the automobile, Lincoln Ave, really hurts this area. It is basically an at grade interstate that's swallowing the entire Capitol complex - destroying any walkability, bike-ability, and general sense of place on the near east side.

How the hell is Lincoln an at grade interstate? That is a ridiculous statement. It's a regular road for most major cities. It ties in the state capitol building to the interstate. Lincoln is a great street and many cities it would be eight lanes.

[chuck5815]

ODOT's shrine to the automobile, Lincoln Ave, really hurts this area. It is basically an at grade interstate that's swallowing the entire Capitol complex - destroying any walkability, bike-ability, and general sense of place on the near east side.

I guess the goal is for every major non-highway in the city (Classen, Lincoln, etc.) to have a completely landscaped median with bike lanes on each side, the street car going down at least one side, and a stop sign every 200 ft. Did I get it about right?

[OKC Guy]

ODOT's shrine to the automobile, Lincoln Ave, really hurts this area. It is basically an at grade interstate that's swallowing the entire Capitol complex - destroying any walkability, bike-ability, and general sense of place on the near east side.

Say what? Lincoln is a great street and I love how unique it is how it splits the capitol on both sides.

You have to have main roads other than interstate too otherwise how can traffic move? Do you expect these to all be residential streets and mass cars driving through them causing constant danger?

I swear some people need to buy up some empty land and build their mecca city with no cars. Problem is you need trucks to get products in but I guess can use wheelbarrows.

All cities have roads and even NYC has roads. Dallas has roads and that metro is 7 times our size. Why are there so many anti road posters here it seems a much higher percentage than real life from my experience.

If we had spent the SC money on citywide bus system we’d have a model system and maybe a bit less traffic. But we will never get rid of traffic these other modes can only supplement it not replace it. And that means we need roads like Lincoln to move people.

I can only imagine the 235 bottenecks if no Lincoln. And that would be bad for downtown workers, commerce and tourists. And would stagnate downtown area growth, if 235 became a parking lot.

FYI the city has been improving Lincoln and has a construction program starting soon. I would hope they wait til 235/44 is done though, but it is going to be reworked majorly.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^^ +1

I've noticed there is an abundance of enthusiasts here that are more anti road than those in major cities like NYC and LA where you'd expect more of that crap. It's strange.

I guess the goal is for every major non-highway in the city (Classen, Lincoln, etc.) to have a completely landscaped median with bike lanes on each side, the street car going down at least one side, and a stop sign every 200 ft. Did I get it about right?

You forgot roundabouts and removing car lanes.

[GoGators]

ODOT's shrine to the automobile, Lincoln Ave, really hurts this area. It is basically an at grade interstate that's swallowing the entire Capitol complex - destroying any walkability, bike-ability, and general sense of place on the near east side.

I agree Lincoln will be the biggest obstacle to overcome for this area to reach any type of potential. It really destroys what could be a cohesive livable community.

Now don’t even get me started on the interstate completely lopping this section off from the rest of the core. Another genius move...

[Plutonic Panda]

I agree Lincoln will be the biggest obstacle to overcome for this area to reach any type of potential. It really destroys what could be a cohesive livable community.

Now don’t even get me started on the interstate completely lopping this section off from the rest of the core. Another genius move...

Yeah Lincoln destroys this community which is why the medical center, capitol, and thousands of people live and work right around it every day.

[aDark]

Yeah Lincoln destroys this community which is why the medical center, capitol, and thousands of people live and work right around it every day.

Just because something functions at some level doesn't mean it's functioning correctly.

[jonny d]

Just because something functions at some level doesn't mean it's functioning correctly.

Not everywhere needs to be walkable.

[BDP]

Not everywhere needs to be walkable.

How does this go from talking about improvements to this district, part of which would be walk-ability, to being about "everywhere"?

Obviously, everywhere in OKC will not be walk-able. Most of OKC will always unwalkable, no matter what happens in this district. Even if we improved conditions for pedestrians for a half dozen more areas, our walkable districts would still be tiny little exceptions. Though the success of those exceptions is hard to deny up to this point.

That being said, this district is often sold as a synergistic economic engine with parts that compliment each other. I don't actually know how much that is true, so it seems perfectly reasonable that it would benefit from making it more pedestrian friendly.

As for Lincoln, it's really a tale of two sections.

[OKC Guy]

How does this go from talking about improvements to this district, part of which would be walk-ability, to being about "everywhere"?

Obviously, everywhere in OKC will not be walk-able. Most of OKC will always unwalkable, no matter what happens in this district. Even if we improved conditions for pedestrians for a half dozen more areas, our walkable districts would still be tiny little exceptions. Though the success of those exceptions is hard to deny up to this point.

That being said, this district is often sold as a synergistic economic engine with parts that compliment each other. I don't actually know how much that is true, so it seems perfectly reasonable that it would benefit from making it more pedestrian friendly.

As for Lincoln, it's really a tale of two sections.

This district is a business area and was designed that way. 99% of the workers drive in and drive out. Most go to Bricktown or up/down Lincoln to eat lunch as this was not built as entertainment or foodie area.

The walkability is overblown as a majority of workers drive. Now, had SC been run down 10th or 8th street that would have allowed workers to connect to Bricktown for lunch or even afterwork events. But they were never considered.

This expansion is being done in a small 2 block area that fronts 235/10th/8th. The walking will be in this area, if built.

The city could run mini buses from this area to Bricktown at lunch and if were on a tight schedule more would go. Nowadays most avoid Bricktown due to traffic concerns with the downtown lunch rush. SC did nothing but hurt this area ability to get to BT for lunch. So a lot of this district go elsewhere for linch and avoid Bricktown and its overcrowding, since all are driving cars.

I love the upgrades tho they look great. But for some to slam Lincoln when its only on the edge of this upgrade is crazy talk. Lincoln is a needed street.