Downtown Construction

[tulsa_fan]

I should be working, but I am already dreading leaving my office in about 30 minutes.  I work downtown and park at the Main Mall parking garage.  It takes me longer than the rest of my commute just to get a few blocks out of downtown.  Each direction of a four lane one way road is down to one lane.  There are probably 400 people trying to leave the garage, it's backed up for several levels trying to get out one of the exits.  It is contstant construction around downtown.  Please can someone who is in the know, please please explain why it looks like a warzone downtown and so many more projects have started and not one has been completed?  I"m going to have a heart attack from stress, you should be happy to be going home.

[cannon_fodder]

Note to self, avoid commuters with weapons near the main mall parking garage.

Why dont you see if you can come in early and leave late or the other way around, until the construction is over?

Or perhaps just wait 10 minutes to leave.  Probably wouldnt cost you that much time in the long run.  Why wait 10 minutes in 100 degree heat when you can wait here?

fark.com
teagames.com
oddtodd.com
games.yahoo.com/eu
gongol.com
tulsanow.org

I'm sure you can find SOME way to utilize 10 or 15 minutes.

[Relax]

Not to stress you out more, but be aware that 4th Street gets a complete re-construction from the roadbed up from Denver to Detroit.

Denver gets the same from 3rd to 13th Streets.

This work is/was scheduled to begin at the end of July. The rain and lack of progress on the 4th Street Sidewalk may mean a later starting date.

I'm not sure how they plan to exit us out of the main mall prkg garage after 4th is more compromised that it is now.

[Oil Capital]

quote:Originally posted by tulsa_fan

I should be working, but I am already dreading leaving my office in about 30 minutes.  I work downtown and park at the Main Mall parking garage.  It takes me longer than the rest of my commute just to get a few blocks out of downtown.  Each direction of a four lane one way road is down to one lane.  There are probably 400 people trying to leave the garage, it's backed up for several levels trying to get out one of the exits.  It is contstant construction around downtown.  Please can someone who is in the know, please please explain why it looks like a warzone downtown and so many more projects have started and not one has been completed?  I"m going to have a heart attack from stress, you should be happy to be going home.

Wow.  Are you sure you should be out and about without a caretaker?  ;-)

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by tulsa_fan

I should be working, but I am already dreading leaving my office in about 30 minutes.  I work downtown and park at the Main Mall parking garage.  It takes me longer than the rest of my commute just to get a few blocks out of downtown.  Each direction of a four lane one way road is down to one lane.  There are probably 400 people trying to leave the garage, it's backed up for several levels trying to get out one of the exits.  It is contstant construction around downtown.  Please can someone who is in the know, please please explain why it looks like a warzone downtown and so many more projects have started and not one has been completed?  I"m going to have a heart attack from stress, you should be happy to be going home.

If it takes you longer than your whole commute to get a few blocks out of downtown. Perhaps you could walk, bikeride, rollerblade, whatever... those few blocks instead, then get in your car and be home scott free.

Or you could move in or near where you work like common sense would dictate. Either live near your work or work near where you live if at all possible.


If you dont want to move or walk do what someone said above. Relax a bit at the office for 20 or 30 minutes and dont join the other lemmings, thus avoiding sitting in downtown traffic. You will probably get home about the same time but with less stress. Heck go workout at one of the gyms downtown. Walk to a coffe shop read a magazine, study, catch up on email. Support one of the businesses downtown. Dont just immediatly try to flee the moment the clock signals the end of the work day.

It sounds like a bunch of high school kids in the hallway after the bell rings down there. lol

[Ed W]

Could you try multi-mode transportation?  Put a folding bike in the car, park farther away, and ride between the car and the office.  A good rule of thumb is bicycling takes about 5 minutes per mile.  If you're sitting in the parking lot queue longer than that, you'd actually save time.

[tulsa_fan]

You guys are funny!  Who told you I carry a weapon?  HA, anyway, I appreciate your ideas.  I usually don't leave at 5, but two days a week, it's my responsibility to pick up the kids and I have to get there by a certain time which I am usually running late for!  

The main point is why is downtown such a mess, and really am I the only one who's on their last nerve about it?  I just wish they'd finish up one spot before they tear up five more blocks.  Really, in the last year I can't think of one area they have finished but they have torn up the biggest bulk of central downtown.

What a crazy mess!  That really stinks to hear they are getting ready to tear up even more!

[Breadburner]

While progress is not painless....I think street contruction citywide could be handled much more efficiently....

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by tulsa_fan

You guys are funny!  Who told you I carry a weapon?  HA, anyway, I appreciate your ideas.  I usually don't leave at 5, but two days a week, it's my responsibility to pick up the kids and I have to get there by a certain time which I am usually running late for!  

The main point is why is downtown such a mess, and really am I the only one who's on their last nerve about it?  I just wish they'd finish up one spot before they tear up five more blocks.  Really, in the last year I can't think of one area they have finished but they have torn up the biggest bulk of central downtown.

What a crazy mess!  That really stinks to hear they are getting ready to tear up even more!

They aren't tearing up 5 blocks, I believe they said 50.

[YoungTulsan]

Where did the funding come from for all this downtown construction?  Was it part of V2025 or 3rd penny?  Im just curious, because I haven't been following local politics until more recently than the 2025 vote.  All I ever see stated on this forum is "that crazy mayor wants downtown to look nice before the arena opens" - So was this planned all along or did the mayor just pull tens of millions of dollars out of thin air to "make things pretty"?

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by YoungTulsan

Where did the funding come from for all this downtown construction?  Was it part of V2025 or 3rd penny?  Im just curious, because I haven't been following local politics until more recently than the 2025 vote.  All I ever see stated on this forum is "that crazy mayor wants downtown to look nice before the arena opens" - So was this planned all along or did the mayor just pull tens of millions of dollars out of thin air to "make things pretty"?

I think it was 3rd penny.

[Townsend]

I'm sure this is par for the course but has anyone else noticed they're ripping the bricks back up on the Southeast corner of 5th and Boston?

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by Townsend

I'm sure this is par for the course but has anyone else noticed they're ripping the bricks back up on the Southeast corner of 5th and Boston?

Nope, walked through there yesterday.

[Townsend]

Take ya a gander today.

Hopefully it's a limited amount being ripped back up.

[booWorld]

quote:Originally posted by Townsend

I'm sure this is par for the course but has anyone else noticed they're ripping the bricks back up on the Southeast corner of 5th and Boston?

I noticed a few days ago -- not sure exactly which day.  

One thing I've noticed about that particular corner is that the pavers seem to be uneven and generally sloped down toward the Philcade Building.  I think there is a drainage problem created by the new pavers.  This is an example of brand new and very expensive paving which is inferior to the old paving it has replaced.

The unit pavers downtown are a waste of tax dollars.  Good concrete would be a better material for the sidewalks.