Downtown parking

[Red Arrow]

That's what these are for, they have been added all over downtown:

I thought those were signs for restrooms.

[BKDotCom]

To somewhat echo what others have said...
I think most Tulsans must think parking garages are crowded, confusing/hard-to-navigate, and/or expensive.

This quote almost applies:  "Nobody goes there anymore because it's too crowded"

I tend to find downtown Tulsa's garages, ghost towns, quick in and out, and very competitive price-wise.  In the case of the Tulsa operated ones, there's often no attendant on duty (free parking).

[TheArtist]

That's what these are for, they have been added all over downtown:

Yea, and so?  That doesn't tell you anything other than there is parking. Doesn't say whether its only for a hotel, or for a business, or whether it's reserved for weekly or monthly parking only, or what.

[Weatherdemon]

I have said it over and over that most of the garages we have now are way underutilized and we have plenty of surface parking lots.  Little education of the public along with some signage and investing a fraction of the cost of the new proposed parking garages into transit would do so much more for our downtown. They did a great thing by adding signage to the north facing wall of the parking garage across the tracks from the Brady Arts District, but do wonder if they did some signage on the other side where the entrance is?  Even the parking garage I am in does not do adequate signage imho and nobody parked there during the event.  Tens of thousands of people downtown, parking garage completely empty and available, but we want to spend millions and millions for more parking garages?  What planet are these people from?

I park in the north garage daily and during the day it runs at around 80-85% capacity. Most of the addition is reserved but pretty full and there are rows in the old section that are reserved but far from fully utilized.
There is also an ample number of handicapped spots as well.

They could probably increase capacity by 50+ vehicle if they would reserve the top for pick ups and large SUV's as the spots as painted are not big enough for those vehicles so you end up with a lot of unused spots because two pick ups parked one space apart take up 3 spots.

I usually park there if I'm going Blue Dome or BOk Center and always for a night on Brady. Of course it's free at night now if you pay monthly

To your point about knowing you can park there. There are several signs pointing that way but you're correct, the signage on the garage its self does not make it obvious you can park there. I would think it would be in Central Parkings best interest to put up better signage but you can't even call them and get  local person anymore. When you call you get an office that is who knows where, and it takes 10 minutes to explain that garage that is even with using the address and name of it. My point being, with only a couple of people local, they don't seem to understand they need better signage to profit after business hours.

[swake]

Yea, and so?  That doesn't tell you anything other than there is parking. Doesn't say whether its only for a hotel, or for a business, or whether it's reserved for weekly or monthly parking only, or what.

No, that sign specifically means there is public parking available in this lot or garage. That's what it is for.

[carltonplace]

No, that sign specifically means there is public parking available in this lot or garage. That's what it is for.

So a public awareness campaign would obviously be useful.

[Townsend]

So a public awareness campaign would obviously be useful.

It would take years to detox the Walmart/Target parking from everyone's blood.

Can't imagine the shakes someone from Glenpool would go through.

[JCnOwasso]

Plain and simple the problem is people just don't understand parking garages.  We have been a town of surface lots for so long that people are just creatures of habit.  Remove the surface lots and you force people to go into parking garages.  Also, I think some of the issues are that people are concerned that the garage may close and they won't be able to get out (I know the garage next to the Petroleum Club had hours and my car almost was stuck in there.)  A general education program about the parking garages would go a long way.

[TheArtist]

No, that sign specifically means there is public parking available in this lot or garage. That's what it is for.

One down, 400,000 plus Tulsans to go.  Or the city can start a public awareness campaign.  But apparently for the "powers that be" it's easier to spend millions on more barely used parking garages because their constituents complain that there "isn't enough parking downtown" than do a little education.  OR, just wait for the parking to ACTUALLY get bad and then people on their own discover the magical secret of parking garages, and or transit, or even the magic of the free market.

[Weatherdemon]

One down, 400,000 plus Tulsans to go.  Or the city can start a public awareness campaign.  But apparently for the "powers that be" it's easier to spend millions on more barely used parking garages because their constituents complain that there "isn't enough parking downtown" than do a little education.  OR, just wait for the parking to ACTUALLY get bad and then people on their own discover the magical secret of parking garages, and or transit, or even the magic of the free market.

I think people are afraid of parking garages as well.
You know, the boogie man, skateboarders, and pot smokers all hang out in them all night long.

But seriously, I think there is some fear there.

[Red Arrow]

I think people are afraid of parking garages as well.
You know, the boogie man, skateboarders, and pot smokers all hang out in them all night long.

But seriously, I think there is some fear there.

Trudy Monk was killed in a parking garage.

However, parking garages are nice during a hail storm.  Long bed crew cab pickups should be banned from most areas of the garage.

[Red Arrow]

It would take years to detox the Walmart/Target parking from everyone's blood.
Can't imagine the shakes someone from Glenpool would go through.

Nah, they would just park on the long skinny parking areas sidewalks.

[Jeff P]

I attended the Center of the Universe festival and parked in the garage next to the Jazz Depot.  There were tons of spaces unused.  I'd say maybe a fourth of the garage was used.  With all of those people downtown, I don't know where they parked, but there was clearly not any shortage of parking spots.  The garage is only a block and a half from Guthrie Green and maybe 3 or 4 blocks to Cains.  Confirms to me that there is not a parking shortage even for the Brady District. 

While I'm not trying to argue that we need more parking, I respectfully disagree about your assessment of the North Garage during CoU.   The vast majority of the empty spots in the Garage those evenings were the assigned spots, not the public spots.

I know because I have an assigned spot, as that's my garage for work.  On a normal weekend night, I don't have to use my assigned spot, because almost all of the public spots that are closer to the entrance/exit are free.  But on both Friday and Saturday night of CoU, I parked in my assigned spot because almost all of the public spots were taken... at least on the first two levels.

[BKDotCom]

Activate Hyperloop! Dynotherms connected! Infracells up! Mega thrusters are go!

Elon Musk released his idea this afternoon
http://www.teslamotors.com/sites/default/files/blog_images/hyperloop-alpha.pdf

[BKDotCom]

Elon Musk released his idea this afternoon
http://www.teslamotors.com/sites/default/files/blog_images/hyperloop-alpha.pdf

Reading through it now...

The pods and linear motors are relatively minor expenses compared to the tube itself – several hundred million dollars at most (for LA to San Fran - 380 miles), compared with several billion dollars for the tube. Even several billion is a low number when compared with several tens of billion proposed for the track of the California rail project.

It's 100 miles between Tulsa and OKC
Perhaps the cost between Tulsa and OKC is closer to a couple hundred million.
Perspective:  Cost of BOK center:  $178 mil.

What would those luxury apartment nay-sayers think if OK got a futurama tube between OK's two largest cities?
And got it first?