Why do we "need" a 41st Street Bridge?

[Conan71]

Well I'm sitting at my desk looking out at W. 41st St. about a 1/4 mile or so west of the Sinclair Refinery rail spur.

My boss had mentioned this a couple of weeks ago, he'd heard it from a fellow who owns a fair amount of land in Garden City.

How likely is this to happen and how soon?

We have about 40 to 50' of parking lot between our buildings and the two lane road.  So I'm guessing that with utility easements, etc. we will lose some building space.

It would also be ironic because Acme Wheel Alignment lost their old space downtown to the new arena.  The would likely be affected as well with a frontage buy-out.

The bridge won't bring us any more or any less business than we have now, and wouldn't present any transportation advantages for us either since HWY 75 is just down the block.

[cannon_fodder]

I cant really comment on the need, since I dont go to the West side very often.  But I cant certainly agree that looking at any map confirms that West Tulsa is cut off from the rest of the city.  Its almost like to growth is allowed in Tulsa West of the river or North of 244.

[T-TownMike]

quote:Originally posted by PonderInc

I keep reading about the "need" for a bridge over the river at 41st on this forum.  And, I'm left wondering...why?

Are we talking about another pedestrian bridge, or a bridge for automobiles?

I-44 crosses over the river at 51st, and there's a bridge at 21st.  This means that the furthest you could possibly be from a river crossing is 1.5 miles.  The only people who need to worry about an additional 1.5 miles are pedestrians...who can cross at 31st.

41st street is residential all the way from the River to Yale.  And anyone trying to get to all the shopping east of 41st and Yale would get there faster on I-44 anyway....no need to channel traffic onto one of the most beautiful streets in town (41st between Peoria and Lewis, specifically).  

Personally, I see a much greater need for pedestrian bridges over Riverside Drive than another bridge for cars over the river.  I would support additional pedestrian bridges over the river...but even then, I'm not sure that 41st is the most critical location for that.

Is there something I'm missing?

Think Big for a change. In order to GROW, you need a way to conviently get to and from the destination. West Tulsa is the next big wave for growth and some can't see the forest through the trees. This may shed some light...

http://kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=120523

West Tulsa Rebirth
KOTV - 2/16/2007 9:52 AM - Updated 2/16/2007 6:08 PM
West Tulsa is well on its way to a rebirth. A group called Red Fork Main Street has applied to be part of the state's Main Street Association. If they get accepted, that will open the door to all kinds of promotions, marketing and design help. News on 6 reporter Steve Berg reports the organization wants to change people's perceptions of west Tulsa.

"We have a number of people from various parts of the city, Jenks, Owasso, Broken Arrow, that have come to stay at our inn and was just never aware of the beauty of southwest Tulsa," said Randy Pittman from the Cedar Rock Inn.

Pittman opened the Cedar Rock Inn a year-and-a-half ago. It's all rolling hills and rustic scenery, but just a mile or so to the east is the old Crystal City shopping center, probably the most visible example of West Tulsa's blight.

"Crystal City is rundown," Pittman said. "Most all the stores are vacant, boarded up."

So Pittman and other west Tulsa leaders have created Red Fork Main Street. Red Fork, in case you don't know, was once a town in the area now encompassed by West Tulsa. In fact, it was incorporated before Tulsa, and played an important role in the state's early history as a cattle trailhead, a rail stop and the site of Tulsa County's first oil well. Red Fork Main Street needed $50,000 to apply for the Main Street program; they raised $120,000 in just two weeks. The Main Street Association provides neighborhoods with expertise in landscaping, architecture, marketing and other areas that can help them lure new businesses. "They had an excellent application. Very well-written, well-funded and well-supported," said Linda Barnett with Oklahoma Main Street.

Pittman says luring restaurants to the area is high on his list.

"We are asked for suggestions on where to eat at the bed and breakfast all the time," he said. "Unfortunately right now, we're directing most everybody to Jenks, down on Peoria, or downtown." The Red Fork Main Street organization doesn't know if they're in the state's Main Street Association, but the odds look good.

[Double A]

If Bumgarner's  HB 2559 would have passed, it would have cut the legs right out from under this Main street program.

[Kenosha]

I just think the more bridges you have, the better.

[deinstein]

We don't need it.

Complete waste of money and resources...

[T-TownMike]

quote:Originally posted by deinstein

We don't need it.

Complete waste of money and resources...

How is a more convient route to an upcoming part of town a waste of resources? The idea is to CONNECT the city together. The west side is long OVERDUE for an overhaul. Just because the majority may live east of the river doesn't mean you shouldn't plan ahead. In order to spur growth, you need an actually route to the destination. Meandering and getting lost, to what should be a simple task, is the waste...a waste of a vital part of our city.

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by T-TownMike

quote:Originally posted by deinstein

We don't need it.

Complete waste of money and resources...

How is a more convient route to an upcoming part of town a waste of resources? The idea is to CONNECT the city together. The west side is long OVERDUE for an overhaul. Just because the majority may live east of the river doesn't mean you shouldn't plan ahead. In order to spur growth, you need an actually route to the destination. Meandering and getting lost, to what should be a simple task, is the waste...a waste of a vital part of our city.

After reading the posts referring to the efforts to revitalize the main street in Red Fork and the new housing nearby I would be inclined to support a bridge. However, is that area is strongly in support of it? The industrial is still going to be a stumbling block and the roads just west of the river need to have the drainage ditches covered and the roads widened.

[sgrizzle]

I support it to help west Tulsa as well as west bank development. There definitely needs to be work done to make it aesthetic and pedestrian-friendly.

[deinstein]

It's a waste of money...you don't need a bridge every mile along the river. We can use the money for this bridge and work on the streets we already have, which are in borderline third world country condition in a lot of the city.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by deinstein

It's a waste of money...you don't need a bridge every mile along the river. We can use the money for this bridge and work on the streets we already have, which are in borderline third world country condition in a lot of the city.

There is no non-highway bridge between 71st and 21st. Hardly every mile. Keep in mind that after the I-44 widening you will have limited access between I-44 and riverside.

[deinstein]

I just have the opinion it's a waste of money and we don't need anymore bridges. Just use the I-44 bridge to cross over, it's not far out of the way at all and easy to use at the Riverside and Elwood exits. I really don't see any justification in spending that much money when you have that option.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by deinstein

I just have the opinion it's a waste of money and we don't need anymore bridges. Just use the I-44 bridge to cross over, it's not far out of the way at all and easy to use at the Riverside and Elwood exits. I really don't see any justification in spending that much money when you have that option.

As I mentioned before, the riverside entrance exits will be replaced by access roads to peoria. To get on the I-44 bridge westbound, you will have to drive to peoria and take the turnaround. Similarly if you want to get on riverside from I-44.

[deinstein]

Why not change that instead of building an entire bridge?

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by deinstein

Why not change that instead of building an entire bridge?

There is no room and it would go against the whole design of I-44.

Plus, the 41st bridge would have direct access to riverside drive and riverside drive west.