Green space and trails

[PonderInc]

One thing that I think did not get enough focus during the PLANiTULSA workshops was greenspace and bike/walking trails for the entire city.  There just wasn't time to deal with everything people care about at the city-wide workshops  (small area neighborhood workshops were the only time people really had a chance to think in this detail).

In the Transportation workshop, there were stickers for off-street trails, but it was almost impossible to see where existing and planned trails were located.  So it was hard to analyze deficiencies and make decisions for adding trails and green belts.

Each table was given a microscopic "trails" map with an unmarked street grid that "showed" where existing/planned trails are located.  

It would have been MUCH more helpful if the proposed and existing trails had been superimposed on the large city maps.

I hope that the consulting team will take this into account when working on their scenarios.  I think they would have gotten more feedback about trails and greenbelts if people had had the chance.

People are always saying that Tulsa has this great system of bike trails, etc.  Perhaps what's lacking is better integration of trails to connect people with their destinations???

One example that drives me crazy is that Lafortune Park is "car-locked."  You really can't walk or bike there from anywhere.  But it seems like a natural destination for families on bicycles.  Shouldn't it connect with our other fabulous green space, RiverParks?

I live about two miles from Lafortune.  I've walked there once, and never dared to ride my bike there.  It shouldn't be that hard.

[Ed W]

"I live about two miles from Lafortune. I've walked there once, and never dared to ride my bike there. It shouldn't be that hard."

You're right, it probably isn't hard.  So let's do it some Saturday morning.

[TheArtist]

Here here!

I live near 41st and Yale. They started a bike trail running beside the highway when they widened it, it goes to Yale then... stops. And it doesnt look like they made any accommodation for it to go on to the River Parks as the expand the highway the rest of the way. Like the city had said it would. Talk about a missed opportunity.

It indeed would have been great to have linked this trail to Lafortune Park and on up the Yale corridor and all the places of work there. I know its selfish on my part, but would love to be able to ride my bike, or walk, on a trail to Lafortune Park and the areas around that, and also to River Parks. Even if there were just some markers and signs that pointed the way to these areas through the neighborhoods, it would be helpful. I dont really like riding a bike on a major street like Yale. Cars have signs and visual cues to the major destinations and highways around the city,,, why cant the few bike trails,,, the major "bike highways"?

Btw, you can get from the trail by my house to Lafortune Park and vice versa. But you have to know the "secret way" lol. That's not bike friendly. The average person isn't going to know which entrance to the neighborhood or area is the right one or a dead end, or even where it leads. If there was a sign on the Lafortune trail that pointed to the right entrance (To the west of the Y on Darlington) and stripes going across the street with the bike emblem, and the sign said (to I44 bike trail/Riverside) That would be fantastic. It shoots you straight on through to where the Best Buy is, go under the highway on Darlington and the trail is right there. Course it would be nice if the I44 trail then actually went all the way to Riverside LIKE THEY SAID IT WOULD! lol.

I know I complain about it a lot, but one of the reasons I specifically bought the house I did was because it was beside the trail and they said it was going to eventually connect to Riverside.  That just shows you that trails are considered a valuable asset, they do increase desirability and attractiveness, and property values. It was a pain going through all the widening of I44 and Yale there, but I was excited to see them extend more of the trail and dreamed of the day when I could shoot right down that nice trail all the way to riverside. Well that didn't happen did it?  It just stops, a trail to no where. Buncha Bullsh@t. What was the point? The city says it wants to expand trails and do things to increase biking and such,,, but then they break the very promises and plans that would bring it about. We are not going to widen that highway again. Its a great opportunity to extend a trail right through the middle of the city. If they don't take this opportunity, what are they going to do, and how?

[Double A]

Park and Recreation Master Plan Focus Groups

Date: February 16, 2009

The City of Tulsa has retained the services of GreenPlay, LLC to complete a Master Plan for the Parks and Recreation Department. The
results of the plan will be used to assist us as we plan for our future growth over the next several years.  This will be a critical component of the master development plan for future Parks and Recreation facilities, programs, and services.

The GreenPlay team, will be conducting (6) six focus group meetings the first full week of March.  Each focus group meeting should last no more than two hours.  The GreenPlay Team will have a series of fifteen to twenty questions to ask of each group. We are seeking (10) ten to (12) twelve  individuals for each group who have a couple of hours to share their thoughts with us on the current status and future needs for parks and recreation programs and facilities in our City.  Your responses from the focus groups and a randomly distributed citizen survey to be conducted after the focus groups will allow us to have statistically valid information for your current and future park and recreation needs.

Your answers and opinions are very important to us as we try to plan our future growth over the next several years.  Please consider sharing a couple of hours of your time with us during the first full week of March. The focus group meetings will be held at Central Center located at 1028 East 6th Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma (West of Peoria on 6th Street).


Refreshments will be available.  Meeting dates and times are as follows:

Tuesday March 3rd 7:00 - 9:00 AM
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
6:30 - 8:30 PM

Wednesday March 4th 7:00 - 9:00 AM
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

Thursday March 5th 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

Please call Tulsa Parks at 596-PARK (7275) or send an e-mail to TulsaParks@cityoftulsa.org with your availability for one of these times.

The results of the focus groups will be presented in a Public Forum Thursday March 5th at 7:00 PM at Central Center, located at 1028 East 6th Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma.  If you can not participate in one of the
focus groups, please don't miss this opportunity to hear the results and share your thoughts on these very important issues for our City.

Sincerely,

Nancy Atwater

Nancy Atwater, Director
Tulsa Parks and Recreation

[sauerkraut]

Someone may have just run out of money. I can't see how a trail can be built around Yale & 41st anyhow it's too crowded and there is no good right of way to use.

[carltonplace]

Thanks for the info Double A. Too bad the meetings are all during normal working hours, I'm not certain which active park participants they are hoping to attract.


Kraut, in a simplistic way I guess you could say "someone has run out of money", or you could refer to OKC/Tulsa history that shows time and time again that money flows in only one direction down I44.

[Double A]

Word on the street is the city is looking to close some parks and sell the land.

[TheArtist]

Someone may have just run out of money. I can't see how a trail can be built around Yale & 41st anyhow it's too crowded and there is no good right of way to use.

The trail I am talking about was the trail that was supposed to run alongside I44. They said that as they widened the highway to Riverside, they were going to add a trail along the north side. I remember seeing some renderings showing how the trail would run along the highway. They got a great start going with a very nice trail, new trees, flowering shrubs, etc. But then when they widened the intersection and added the new overpass on Yale, they redesigned it so that the trail can not continue.  Now the trail they have just stops at Yale. You can also go right off the trail and go under the highway at Darlington, then go right down Darlington to LaFortune park, the Y, the library, etc.. This would have been a great way to connect LaFortune to RiverParks, or anyone along the I44 trail to the Mall, OU Tulsa, LaFortune, etc. etc. There are also a lot of hotels there in I44 and Yale area. Apparently more to come soon. You would be surprised at how many people stay at them for training and such and stay for often months at a time. I see them walking to and from the mall, grocery store, etc. One person from Moscow who was staying for several months for training in the oil industry told me how he walked from the Red Roof Inn there all the way to River Parks then Downtown, as if that were no big deal lol. Just a stroll lol. But mentioned how "unpedestrian friendly" Tulsa was. A trail to connect these areas along the I44/Yale corridor to River Parks would be very nice. They had planned to do it. I just wonder what changed? They had planned to do it, and keep saying they want to improve our trail system, pushing for more trails etc....Why eliminate one that could be really great and connect so many streets, when it would be so convenient to do while the construction is going on?   

Here is part of the segment that already exists, and was supposed to continue on to the River. The Promenade Mall is at the top. The bridge is over Darlington which leads to LaFortune Park and the stuff in that area. It would be nice if they made Darlington a bike route with street markings and signage so people would know.

[SXSW]

What about a trail along Joe Creek from the river to where the creek flows through LaFortune Park?  Not the prettiest creek (mostly concrete-lined for flood control) but it provides a nice right-of-way.  You also would hit Manion and Revere parks along the way and connect a good chunk of the city to the river that currently doesn't have a connection...

That and the proposed Crow Creek trail that would connect Zink Park and Brookside to the river would be great additions to our extensive jogging/bike trail network.

[sauerkraut]

There should be some federal dollars flowing in to build more trails from the new highway bills. A certain amount is earmarked for the building of bike/jogging trails. I'm a strong supporter of building more jogging trails since I use them alot.

[SXSW]

There should be some federal dollars flowing in to build more trails from the new highway bills. A certain amount is earmarked for the building of bike/jogging trails. I'm a strong supporter of building more jogging trails since I use them alot.

I use them a lot too, though I'm more of a biker than a runner.  Tulsa's trails are some of the best in the region and a key asset for the city.  Expanding the trails and connecting more parts of the city is just as important as fixing the roads IMO.  Rerouting the Midland Valley trail through downtown, building new trails along both Crow and Joe Creeks to Zink and LaFortune Parks, respectively, and extending the river trails south to Bixby and west to Lake Keystone would really set Tulsa apart as having one of the most extensive trail systems in the country.

[sauerkraut]

Tulsa has some nice trails. I'm a hard core runner and never could get into cycling. The city of Omaha also has a great system of trails with no street crossings. Most of Omaha trails are like a interstate highway for bike riders and runners with exit ramps up to the streets just before the trail crosses under the road. It's funny with all those trails, when I'm in Omaha I offten go & run on the same trail over & over, the 6-mile loop Werhspann Lake Trail, it's a great place to run with lots of wildlife and they have water fountains at all the parking areas, I rarely run any other Omaha trail. Anyhoo, I'd like to see Tulsa get more of a trail network like what Omaha has..  www.omahatrails.com