PLANiTULSA draft "vision" to be unveiled today; high-speed rail meeting tonight
PLANiTULSA's draft vision, developed by Fregonese Associates in response to the PLANiTULSA scenario survey, will be available after 2 p.m. today, September 15, 2009, at PLANiTULSA.org. City of Tulsa planners are seeking feedback on the draft, which is not a detailed comprehensive plan, but a first step in that direction, defining in broad terms what kind of development is desired and where. An open house on the vision and small area concepts will be held at the Greenwood Cultural Center a week from Wednesday, September 23, 2009, from 4:30 to 8 p.m., with formal presentations at 5:30 and 7.
It will be interesting to see if the draft vision emerges as an issue in the ongoing City of Tulsa elections.
Also, tonight (September 15, 2009), the Oklahoma Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting about Tulsa's place on a high-speed rail corridor tonight at 6 p.m., at the Aaronson Auditorium at Central Library in downtown Tulsa. Meanwhile, last week, ODOT began demolishing the platforms and rail yard of Oklahoma City's Union Station. Oklahoma rail activist Tom Elmore comments:
If "High Speed Rail" and an Oklahoma hub are important enough to ODOT that it would seriously apply for "2 billion federal dollars," then why isn't saving the OKC Union Station rail hub at 300 SW 7th an even greater priority? (ODOT contractors started destroying the rail yard there last week -- the "week of 9-11-09.")ODOT's clear message? If Oklahomans are going to have advanced surface transportation, they're going to have to pay ODOT's favored contractors for it "at least twice..." (We're being forced to pay those contractors to destroy magnificent, 8-block-long OKC Union Station yard -- and we'll be forced to pay to build a new one, of predictably lower quality, if they ever actually get around to that!) ... or are they just using an "alleged interest" in High Speed Rail to cover their crimes at OKC Union Station?
Time for Oklahomans to demand answers!
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I was watching OETA the other night and saw part of a program about the new plans in OK City revolving around the new I40 corridor through downtown and their plans on a new central park, etc. Now I may not be recalling right, but the address listed in his comment seems to put that station right underneath where the new I40 will be, hence the demolition. Just something to look into. Again, I may be completely wrong but that area is where OK city is changing things in the near future.
I was hoping to see that the recently approved Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan would be integrated into this plan to guide it in much the same way as the Downtown Master Plan, Parks Master Plan and INCOG transit plans have been included. Building a safe, prepared, proactive, disaster resistant community should be the 1st priority for planning Tulsa's future. It's unfortunate that the planners and citizens who have participated in this process have overlooked this plan. Hopefully, it's not to late to have this included as part of the plan, even if it is as an afterthought.
I took a quick look at the PLANiTULSA document, and I saw a couple of images which disturb me: 1) the "After" view of Pine & Peoria on page 16, and 2) the street plan on page 40. Both show what appear to be bricks or concrete unit pavers in crosswalks. If so, then BAD IDEA! Let's not make the same mistakes on North Peoria that were made on South Peoria.
A better solution for crosswalks is a flush, relatively smooth and level, slip-resistant surface (for pedestrians) marked by a light, contrasting color which can be seen easily at night (by approaching drivers).
No Pavers!
http://boundrationality.blogspot.com/2009/04/special-report-downtown-tulsa.html
Think they're using concrete crosswalk materials now which are only scored to look like pavers. These are supposedly a maintenance-free design. At least, don't have the issues regular pavers had.
XonOFF: The scored and stamped concrete crosswalks have some of the same problems as the pavers:
1. The rough surfaces create more difficulty for walking, pushing strollers, pulling carts, etc.
2. The rough textured surfaces make snow and ice removal more difficult, and slick patches in crosswalks are hazardous for pedestrians.
3. In many cases, the concrete has been colored dark gray or reddish-gray. Drivers, especially at night, can't readily see dark, low-contrasting colors on horizontal surfaces.
The best crosswalks have relatively smooth and flush paving, and I think Tulsa deserves the best! Bonus for the City: The "best" crosswalks are less expensive to construct and maintain.