(PROJECT) A Gathering Place For Tulsa

[Conan71]

I logged into Facebook for the first time in months last night, big mistake on my part.

There were three things dominating my "news feed" there.

1. Photos of The Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia

2. Photos of William Tecumseh Sherman captioned "Don't make me come down there again."

3. People saying how much they hate that Riverside Drive is closed for "the stupid Gathering Place." With various reasons as to why:

- It is a stupid name for a park anyway
- Nobody will go there because they will chase all the "normal" people away so that only the "uppity" or "rich" can use it.
- Driving in Tulsa is already "the worst" and this just makes it worse....or "worser" as one person said.
- We have too many parks already that nobody uses except for drug dealers
- This is more of an Owasso or Broken Arrow thing. Nobody wants to hang out in downtown Tulsa with all the homeless - This one was my favorite.

Teh stoopidz.  They is hard to fix.

[Hoss]

I logged into Facebook for the first time in months last night, big mistake on my part.

There were three things dominating my "news feed" there.

1. Photos of The Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia

2. Photos of William Tecumseh Sherman captioned "Don't make me come down there again."

3. People saying how much they hate that Riverside Drive is closed for "the stupid Gathering Place." With various reasons as to why:

- It is a stupid name for a park anyway
- Nobody will go there because they will chase all the "normal" people away so that only the "uppity" or "rich" can use it.
- Driving in Tulsa is already "the worst" and this just makes it worse....or "worser" as one person said.
- We have too many parks already that nobody uses except for drug dealers
- This is more of an Owasso or Broken Arrow thing. Nobody wants to hang out in downtown Tulsa with all the homeless - This one was my favorite.

I crack up when people complain about driving in Tulsa.  If they're talking about the sheer ratio of potholes to lane miles, then I sympathize because I'm pretty sure we lead in that department.  However, if they're complaining about traffic, have them live in Houston or Dallas or SoCal for a month, then come back here.  That complaining will likely stop.

[Markk]

Saw speed traps set up this morning on Peoria and got to thinking that I remembered something about a plan to resurface/redo the BA just SE of downtown, where some of the potholes are deep and the size of trash can lids.  I believe the work was to start up sometime later this summer.  Anyone else know when the work is to begin?

[cannon_fodder]

Saw speed traps set up this morning on Peoria and got to thinking that I remembered something about a plan to resurface/redo the BA just SE of downtown, where some of the potholes are deep and the size of trash can lids.  I believe the work was to start up sometime later this summer.  Anyone else know when the work is to begin?

Off topic, but great question. I grew up in Iowa. It was not uncommon to take gravel roads to fishing lakes, friends houses, whatever. I do not recall ever being on a publicly maintained gravel road in Iowa that was as bad as that stretch of the BA.  In the last couple of months I've driven north into Canada and south down to Austin - and all sorts of points in between (not just interstate driving); I never experienced roads that bad anywhere else. Complaining about roads in Tulsa is cliche, but damn.

This is what happens when you "save money" by cutting taxes and ignoring infrastructure.

/bad cannon_fodder, get back on topic!

[Markk]

since the gripe of the day seems to be traffic problems and alternate routes caused by Riverside closing due to Gathering Place construction, I maintain that throwing out something that would cause even worse traffic problems into downtown is (somewhat) related.

Nevertheless, I'll try and do better in the future.

[Conan71]

I'll continue with drift since it is semi sort-of related to The Gathering Place.  With all the various closures, if the work were still ongoing on I-44 I could claim to my boss I'm landlocked (gridlocked) away from my office in west Tulsa and need to work from home for the foreseeable future. 

[Townsend]

For the past two days I've driven new routes.

Coming in, I've taken 75 which has worked out surprisingly well.

Leaving last night, I took Harvard...not bad but what the heck is up with 51st and Harvard area?  It's been under construction for something like 6 years now (it seems to me).

Anyway, my travel time hasn't suffered too much so far but time will tell.  Two days is not two years.

[AngieB]

This is an instance when those of us living on the Westside have a distinct advantage (we'll take any and all we can get). My drive into and out of downtown is not affected. 

[Conan71]

For the past two days I've driven new routes.

Coming in, I've taken 75 which has worked out surprisingly well.

Leaving last night, I took Harvard...not bad but what the heck is up with 51st and Harvard area?  It's been under construction for something like 6 years now (it seems to me).

Anyway, my travel time hasn't suffered too much so far but time will tell.  Two days is not two years.

Between 244 & 44 construction, I think it's been nearly 6 years of orange barrels no matter which direction I went until they opened the new 244/75 north bridge over the Arkansas River.  The stealthy way they are laying the new asphalt at off-peak hours along 75 north of 41st St. has been really nice.

[Townsend]

This is an instance when those of us living on the Westside have a distinct advantage (we'll take any and all we can get). My drive into and out of downtown is not affected. 

Well, I can look at that two ways.  

You are never bothered by construction.  My maze is constantly shifted by orange barrels et al.

I have inconveniences where you do not.

I see improvements though.

Southside burnin' Westside!

[AngieB]

Well, I can look at that two ways.  

You are never bothered by construction.  My maze is constantly shifted by orange barrels et al.

I have inconveniences where you do not.

I see improvements though.

Southside burnin' Westside!

No need to dis the Westside. 

[Townsend]

No need to dis the Westside. 

Eh, I live in Oklahoma...it's all I've got.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Off topic, but great question. I grew up in Iowa. It was not uncommon to take gravel roads to fishing lakes, friends houses, whatever. I do not recall ever being on a publicly maintained gravel road in Iowa that was as bad as that stretch of the BA.  In the last couple of months I've driven north into Canada and south down to Austin - and all sorts of points in between (not just interstate driving); I never experienced roads that bad anywhere else. Complaining about roads in Tulsa is cliche, but damn.

This is what happens when you "save money" by cutting taxes and ignoring infrastructure.

/bad cannon_fodder, get back on topic!

It's related to the topic...goes to infrastructure, which the Gathering thing is supposed to be...

Around here it is most likely to be one of those Ron Popeil Showtime rotisserie...set it and forget it!!  Will be built and then NOT properly maintained for decades, at which time the builders, movers and shakers in town will cook up another scheme to line their pockets and blather about anything/everything from jobs to moving ahead for the future.  It's what we do.

And Iowa....gotta love all that corn and soybeans!!

Was in Madison and Janesville WI a couple weeks ago - Madison would be a great example for out "leaders" to use as reference.  Very nice place, and much more applicable than Portland.

[Townsend]

Around here it is most likely to be one of those Ron Popeil Showtime rotisserie...set it and forget it!!  Will be built and then NOT properly maintained for decades, at which time the builders, movers and shakers in town will cook up another scheme to line their pockets and blather about anything/everything from jobs to moving ahead for the future.  It's what we do.

If you're talking about the park, from what I understand, you are incorrect...at least about the Gathering Place.

On another tangent, can the park be called "The Gathering"?  Christopher Lambert and Clancy Brown could do the grand opening.

Anyone know any sword play re-enactment folk?

[DTowner]

Around here it is most likely to be one of those Ron Popeil Showtime rotisserie...set it and forget it!!  Will be built and then NOT properly maintained for decades, at which time the builders, movers and shakers in town will cook up another scheme to line their pockets and blather about anything/everything from jobs to moving ahead for the future.  It's what we do.

Yep, it really sucks rotten eggs that a local philanthropist and businesses are investing $350 million in a world-class one of a kind park that will benefit Tulsans for generations to come.  

Curmudgeons are a wearisome bunch.