Tulsa-henge

[Ed W]

A few nights back, I saw a story on NYC-henge.  On two mornings each year, the sun lines up perfectly with the east-west streets of Manhattan.  The buildings perform the same function as Stonehenge, hence New York Henge.

I was curious about how Tulsa streets aligned.  The east-west streets downtown are at 60 degrees, which coincides with sunrise on the first day of summer!  How cool is that! 

It may be necessary to rope together a band of Druids, paint our butts blue, and greet the rising sun with lagers in hand.

[Conan71]

I need to post a photo of Lortonhenge.

[nathanm]

I need to post a photo of Lortonhenge.

Rest-of-town-henge happened a while ago.

[Red Arrow]

It may be necessary to rope together a band of Druids, paint our butts blue, and greet the rising sun with lagers in hand.

I might be able to greet the rising sun (the star, not Japan) in the winter months but the sun just rises too early in the summer for me to greet it.

[Ed W]

Rest-of-town-henge happened a while ago.

Most other streets are directly east-to-west, precisely aligned with the spring and fall equinoxes.  But downtown is different.  Does anyone know why?

I had a civics teacher way back when who said that the streets of Pittsburgh were laid out over old cow paths, but Tulsa seems to be better planned.

[AquaMan]

Most other streets are directly east-to-west, precisely aligned with the spring and fall equinoxes.  But downtown is different.  Does anyone know why?

I had a civics teacher way back when who said that the streets of Pittsburgh were laid out over old cow paths, but Tulsa seems to be better planned.

The original streets downtown were laid out to parallel the railroad tracks which were not true east-west. The tracks were laid out to follow the most level path. They were also named for many different characters in our past.

There was a correction made to the layout that remedied this that is most apparent at 6th & Peoria. At that point 6th and the streets to the south become true east-west. It played havoc with some of the addresses.

At that time they also changed the naming of the streets. My street was an Indian name, Tookah Street, but became a more orderly 19th street. Numbered streets run east-west. Streets west of main running north-south were named after cities that reside west of the Mississippi. Hence, Boulder, Cheyenne, Denver. Streets east of main were named after cities east of the Mississipi, hence Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit.

Cow paths remained cow paths.

[RecycleMichael]

The original streets downtown were laid out to parallel the railroad tracks which were not true east-west.

Gus Patton laid out the downtown street system. He walked 100 paces from the tracks and declared it to be 1st street. He walked ten paces for the width of each street, then repeated.

To this day, downtown blocks are 300 feet wide and streets are 30.

[Red Arrow]

I had a civics teacher way back when who said that the streets of Pittsburgh were laid out over old cow paths, but Tulsa seems to be better planned.

I don't know about Pittsburgh in particular but many PA rural roads are that way.  Supposedly, Gov Pinchot in the 30s wanted PA to have the best roads around.  They graded cow paths or whatever else was close enough and paved them.  The paving was rocks and tar or maybe asphalt.  I haven't researched it that much.   If you have driven any eastern PA roads where the road goes around trees and other features, you can believe they made the roads where the cows walked.  Whether they actually did or not I don't know for sure.

On the flip side, in Uvalde, TX, the made the road around the trees.  There are still some places in the residential areas where a tree is literally in the street.  I guess that's their anti-drunk driving program.

[nathanm]

I have to say, I did find it a little funny when I first moved here how many of the section line roads completely ignore any topographical..challenges and just go straight up and over whatever might be in the way without deviating from their heading.

[sgrizzle]

I have to say, I did find it a little funny when I first moved here how many of the section line roads completely ignore any topographical..challenges and just go straight up and over whatever might be in the way without deviating from their heading.

Navigationally I prefer it that way, although I'm sure it costs $$ in construction.

[Red Arrow]

Straight roads make navigation easy but driving b-o-r-i-n-g.  Yale between 81st and 91st (south, of course) is more interesting.  It's been woosified in the last few years though. Years ago, going southbound through the last jog left was invigorating at 50ish mph.  Now the thing is marked down and there is always some pansy going 25 or 30.   

[rdj]

Straight roads make navigation easy but driving b-o-r-i-n-g.  Yale between 81st and 91st (south, of course) is more interesting.  It's been woosified in the last few years though. Years ago, going southbound through the last jog left was invigorating at 50ish mph.  Now the thing is marked down and there is always some pansy going 25 or 30.   

Just wait until they get really going on widening that stretch of Yale!   

[Red Arrow]

Just wait until they get really going on widening that stretch of Yale!   

They might as well go ahead and widen it.  It's no fun anymore.