Uptown / 23rd District

[TheTravellers]

^^^ Drove by there today on the way home from Homeland, and I don't think the dirt-moving is related to the Sonic lot - the McDonald's corner is torn up too right next to the street, which is where the Sonic corner is also torn up, and also on the northwest corner of the Sonic lot. I'd guess it was utility-type work instead.

[Pete]

4-plex north of The Pump; looks like they are getting close.

[David]

Sonic proposes new prototype design at busy metro intersection

An application to the city’s Urban Design Commission indicates an updated design of a new Sonic restaurant at NW 23 and Pennsylvania Avenue started shortly after the chain was sold for $2.3 billion to Inspire Brands.

If it's before design review, are the plans available somewhere?

[Pete]

Sonic proposes new prototype design at busy metro intersection



If it's before design review, are the plans available somewhere?

I had already posted this. As usual, the Oklahoman is just drafting off our work:

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.p...92#post1105392

[AP]

4-plex north of The Pump; looks like they are getting close.

Do you know who owns the empty lots surrounding this building? What a location to not have developed anything.

[Pete]

Do you know who owns the empty lots surrounding this building? What a location to not have developed anything.

Marva Ellard, same person that is redeveloping this 4-plex and the small houses nearby.

[GoGators]

Found this great video from Iowa DOT. Simple explanation on the benefits of a 4-3 lane conversion. Figured i would post it in this thread as 23rd is in desperate need of this. Also applies to The North/South Roads that intersect Uptown (Penn, Classen, Broadway)

[Pete]

4-plex north of The Pump:

[AP]

Any clue whats happening with the 23rd st food mart on 23rd across from OCU? I know it's not technically uptown so feel free to move if you need to.

[Pete]

I believe they are planning a strip center.

[Pete]

4-plex north of The Pump:

BTW, this project seems to have stalled. Was by there yesterday and virtually nothing seems to have changed since these photos in April.

[king183]

I just heard a “rumor” from someone who would know that the city is planning to remove the median from 23rd and replace it with a turn lane, while also widening the sidewalks. Maybe this is already public knowledge, but I hadn’t heard of it and was concerned. Has anyone heard about this or have more information?

[shawnw]

I've heard talk of it from Uptown folks.

[catcherinthewry]

I've heard planning wants to put in bike lanes and take 23rd down to 2 lanes. Doesn't sound real smart to take the major east-west thoroughfare in uptown down to 2 lanes.

[Plutonic Panda]

Taking 23rd to 2 GP lanes would be a very shortsighted and bad move. Hope that doesn’t happen.

[Teo9969]

23rd doesn't need a turn lane, it needs to prohibit left hand turns exiting 23rd between Robinson and Shartel.

[SEMIweather]

Anything would be an improvement over the current situation, but I feel like putting bike lanes in on both 16th and 30th between I-235 and I-44 would be a much better choice than 23rd. The main issue would be the 16th/Robinson and 16th/Classen intersections but I think you could make both of those work without too many headaches.

Extending the South Walker bike lane project up to NW 50th would be huge as well.

[Plutonic Panda]

23rd doesn't need a turn lane, it needs to prohibit left hand turns exiting 23rd between Robinson and Shartel.

You’re probably right. That and removing the on street parking and median could add room for protected bike lanes.

[shawnw]

Anything would be an improvement over the current situation, but I feel like putting bike lanes in on both 16th and 30th between I-235 and I-44 would be a much better choice than 23rd. The main issue would be the 16th/Robinson and 16th/Classen intersections but I think you could make both of those work without too many headaches.

Extending the South Walker bike lane project up to NW 50th would be huge as well.

16th would be terrible for a bike lane. It has a bus route and IMO there's just not enough room for a bike lane on each side. I've been on a bus behind a cyclist on 16th, it's just too tight a squeeze in most places. Plus, there's already a major east/west bike route on 19th. If you're going to put in some infrastructure, do it there. I have to go from Hudson to Portland when riding my bike to work. I am never remotely inclined to use 16th. There's much more room and much less traffic on 19th.

Regarding Walker, you'd want to switch over to Shartel at 30th due to the fact that there is already a bike lane there and it's going to become a protected lane in the future. Just wouldn't make sense to continue the lane up Walker with Shartel also in place just a block over.

[Anonymous.]

You ride a bike to work from Hudson to Portland? Do you work daily? That is impressive.

[David]

Road diet for 23rd street, let's do it.

[shawnw]

You ride a bike to work from Hudson to Portland? Do you work daily? That is impressive.

When the weather sucks or if there's some other circumstance, I take the bus. But I do ride often and these last couple weeks I've been riding everyday because the weather has been so nice. I ride from downtown to 36/Tulsa, I sometimes vary my route for various reasons, but if I'm going straight to work I take Hudson to 19th, 19th all the way across to Will Rogers Trail. From the trail I ride through the park, cross Portland (which by far is the suckiest part of the journey) and take 34th to Tulsa Ave, where I cross 36th to go to work. On bike to work day last week I did ride down to Main St and take that all the way to the new protected lane and then to Will Rogers Trail.

For reference, here is my ride from this very morning:


Anyway, in the last year I've ridden 1,576 miles on OKC roads. Not as much as some, I know, but certainly as much or more than most.

[GoGators]

They have had one lane of Eastbound 23rd closed for the last couple of days for construction on the new Starbucks and there has been absolutely zero issue with traffic. The only time 23rd backs up is when someone is trying to turn left. One lane each direction with a center turn lane would make traffic flow better and provide more room for extending sidewalks and adding bike lanes. Seems like an easy win for everyone.

[dankrutka]

I'd love to see the sidewalk widened and a bike lane added. Definitely a move in the right direction to make 23rd a more walkable neighborhood.

[Teo9969]

They have had one lane of Eastbound 23rd closed for the last couple of days for construction on the new Starbucks and there has been absolutely zero issue with traffic. The only time 23rd backs up is when someone is trying to turn left. One lane each direction with a center turn lane would make traffic flow better and provide more room for extending sidewalks and adding bike lanes. Seems like an easy win for everyone.

Say what you will about medians but 23rd is going to look significantly less attractive without the tree in the median. Th only way they'll get good foliage in the streets is to extend the sidewalk substantially which will nix the space for a turn lane.

Even if the turn lane is put in, it's still a dangerous set up or stop and go nightmare because either you have to have stoplights at every block with a full cycle of turns -OR- you have no stoplights and you have people gunning their left turns to beat oncoming traffic which is a nightmare for pedestrians.

There is no better answer than no left turns after Robinson and before Shartel. It's a quick 6 blocks if there are no left turns and it's safer for all involved. I'd be willing to bet that the people who legitimately need to turn left on a regular basis for their route turn at one of those places anyway and then take another E/W street to get to the other side of traffic.

Also, unless the city is going to subsidize a garage, the on-street parking probably needs to stay.