OKC Boulevard

[OKCRT]

looks like the old I40

Hopefully a little smoother though.

But this is going to be so nice and the view of downtown when all the mid rises get build will look great IMO.

[kevinpate]

Hopefully a little smoother though.

But this is going to be so nice and the view of downtown when all the mid rises get build will look great IMO.

Well, for the 43 seconds or so it will take to zip on by anyway.

[BDP]

Well, for the 43 seconds or so it will take to zip on by anyway.

I don't know about that. ODOT's wisdom is to put all traffic on as few exits as possible. I bet during the right times of day, you might get a 5 minute look.

[Plutonic Panda]

I don't know about that. ODOT's wisdom is to put all traffic on as few exits as possible. I bet during the right times of day, you might get a 5 minute look.

Considering most people will use it to go into downtown, I'm sure they will be 'looking' at downtown for hours.

[no1cub17]

Considering most people will use it to go into downtown, I'm sure they will be 'looking' at downtown for hours.

What's wrong with how suburbanites get into downtown now? We have plenty of multilane interstates that serve their purpose just fine. This whole thing is disgusting and a massive waste of money, and will contribute to lower bricktown never really reaching it's potential as being part of a thriving, truly urban district. Although that ship probably sailed awhile ago anyway. Part of the appeal of downtowns is that downtown life isn't centered around massive elevated freeways. Just curious - how will this elevated road contribute to street life, walkability, and vitality of downtown? Oh wait, it won't.

[Plutonic Panda]

What's wrong with how suburbanites get into downtown now? We have plenty of multilane interstates that serve their purpose just fine. This whole thing is disgusting and a massive waste of money, and will contribute to lower bricktown never really reaching it's potential as being part of a thriving, truly urban district. Although that ship probably sailed awhile ago anyway. Part of the appeal of downtowns is that downtown life isn't centered around massive elevated freeways. Just curious - how will this elevated road contribute to street life, walkability, and vitality of downtown? Oh wait, it won't.

congragulations, you are the 1 millionth person to make that point and the 2 millionth person to make a completely irrelevant statement responding to my post.

[no1cub17]

congragulations, you are the 1 millionth person to make that point and the 2 millionth person to make a completely irrelevant statement responding to my post.

yet you still don't get it.

[Buffalo Bill]

- how will this elevated road contribute to street life, walkability, and vitality of downtown? Oh wait, it won't.

No part of this "elevated road" that the city of OKC selected is downtown.

[bchris02]

Just curious - how will this elevated road contribute to street life, walkability, and vitality of downtown? Oh wait, it won't.

PluPan did an excellent job of answering this question above. It's not designed primarily for pedestrians and never was supposed to be. It's designed to get cars in and out of downtown as quickly and efficiently as possible. By ODOT throwing a few bones to urbanists in adding the bike lane and narrowing it to four lanes, the entire thing has become half-assed from both perspectives. It's not going to be that walkable new urbanist streetscape that FBB wanted and it isn't going to be what ODOT wanted either. It's also not going to be the safest road for cyclists. What it is going to be is a speed trap and a gold mine for OKCPD.

I used to agree mostly with FBB but then I realized the only way those goals would be achieved would be a restoration of the grid. Urbanists should shift their focus to perfecting a thoroughfare they can actually have a say in, like Reno or Sheridan. Both of which could be great urban streetscapes but are currently far below potential.