Comments on: FYI to Eric Wenger

By: jen

jen — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 11:45:04 +0000

Six lanes? Wow. I’d like to see the public health impact. Medics have a term for people who get run over by cars: “Auto Peds.” With six lanes of traffic, they’ll need a dedicated unit. I hope it can get worked out. I’m sure it will!! Every time I’ve envisioned this area of town after development, I’ve imagined frequent trips with my kids. With six lanes of traffic we’d all do well to stay away, which is completely counterintuitive to walkability/foot traffic ambitions.

By: Friends for a Better Boulevard

Friends for a Better Boulevard — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 23:56:04 +0000

We have finally found a way to get something done through the proper channels.

1. Write to the three Federal Employees who can positively influence this process and request that ODOT hold a formal public hearing.

Use these specific terms in your letter- “I request a public process and for ODOT to provide a range of Alternatives.”

Elizabeth Romero
Ivan Marrero

Federal Highway Administration
5801 N. Robinson Ave., Suite 300
Oklahoma City, OK 73118

Elizabeth.romero@dot.gov
Ivan.marrero@dot.gov

Victor Mendez
Federal Highway Administration
1200 SE New Jersey Ave
Washington, DC 20590

Victor.mendez@dot.gov

If you are a merchant or property owner in Bricktown, you might reference that you are concerned that ODOT’s suggested Compress Street alignment is in conflict with the information provided to the public for the last decade and that such a difficult entrance into Bricktown “may adversely or potentially negatively impact your property/business in Brictown.”

Oklahoma Ave had always been the proposed street with direct access into Bricktown. The new proposal is for Compress instead. Compress will require three turns and undoubtedly will cause major traffic jams as people try to get to Reno going around the U-Haul building.

If your a property owner on the west side of downtown, you might object to “Boulevard in the Air” that will actually ensure that the west side remains entombed as an industrial wasteland.

2. Contact your City councillor and tell them what you think about the new Blvd.

Folks, we need to build the new Boulevard as soon as possible to allow better access to downtown. But since the plans won’t be done until December anyways, it is totally reasonable to demand that it be designed and constructed right for us.

By: Nick Roberts

Nick Roberts — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 21:11:34 +0000

I suspect Steve is revisiting this article because he called Wenger and got, “I’m sorry Steve, but ODOT won’t let us do a traffic circle, so there is nothing I can do on the matter. click”

By: Dennis Wells

Dennis Wells — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 10:27:25 +0000

David’s “Market Circle” would be a great way to handle the awkward convergence of those streets, and it would create a palatable ‘speed-bump’ to modulate traffic. The heart of the circle also provides a place for needed landscaping and art. (The arch needs some work.)

By: kd

kd — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 23:11:28 +0000

This is going to take a very organized and systematic campaign to both the city’s elected officials and to ODOT in order for change to happen… and soon. Perhaps the Democrat campaign people can help.. they don’t have much to do over the next few months (in OK at least).

By: slackmeyer

slackmeyer — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 18:58:31 +0000

Rob, the arena was still called Ford Center when this archive story was written in 2010.

By: Rob Anvile

Rob Anvile — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 18:10:38 +0000

I am pretty sure its called Chesapeake Energy Arena NOT Ford Center

By: David

David — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 17:35:37 +0000

I apologize for the far too numerous typos in my initial post. Computer is missing keystrokes somehow……

By: David

David — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 17:33:57 +0000

This does not sound like the ODOT described by Mr Wenger during yesterday’s MAPS Streetcar/Transit subcommittee meeting.

A very enlightening discussion took place on this very topic with Mr Wenger saying OKC is going to get stuck with whatever OOT decides to build. A few memebrs of the subcommittee wisely desired to forward a recommedation to the City Council advising them to strongly urge DOT to take into considerati th MAPS projects that will be directly affected by the boulevard’s design.

Mr Wenger stated the city engineering/ utilities dept has frequent contact with ODOT about the boulevard design and followed that by saying the city’s desires will have minimal impact on the final design. When questioned, he modified his statement to say the city communicates with the contractor more than ODOT directly. This may explain the disconnect between Mr Ridley’s statements and Mr Wenger.

The city’s elected officials and citizens need to speak up to force OKC Staff and ODOT to build something other than anoter least common denominator project that have been the ODOT standard. I urge anyone with any interest in OKC continuing to grow into a more desirable place to live visit this site.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/15393885/Final%20Presentation.pdf

This is what OKC could have a a western entrance to downtown rather than just another elevated highway ODOT is planning.