Yeah, I don't get this at all. Every major city with heavy pedestrian traffic is more or less a series of one way streets. I expect one-ways in downtown areas, actually. usually the blocks are tighter and now you'll just have more back up with people having to cross traffic to make left turns.

If they want it more pedestrian friendly, they need to time all lights for pedestrian crossing every cycle. You shouldn't have to push a button to wait for a light timed for a pedestrian crossing downtown or in bricktown. This would help eliminate the "runners" and give all walkers a chance to cross even after waiting for late traffic to clear the intersection, which you're going to have a lot of now, because everyone who will be yielding to traffic to turn left will be going when the light changes.

I just don't who's idea this was or what the real motivation is actually. This sounds very much like it was the creation of some disgruntled driver who can't handle driving around the block than the idea of any kind of experienced city planner.