Boston Ave Redux

[booWorld]

The offsets along Boston Maul are significant.  What's being built isn't the design DTU promoted for years.  In terms of walking surface, the design promoted by DTU would have been better because the walk areas were to be mostly concrete with smaller areas of unit pavers near the curb and tree planters.  I need to check some facts before being 100% certain on this.  Right now I'm about 99% certain.

Large areas of downtown are a huge mess because so many streets and sidewalks have been torn out at the same time.  This was an extremely foolish management decision in a tight labor market.  The unit pavers themselves are junk from the moment they are installed.  They will be a major maintenance issue for Tulsa, which is a shame.  I hate to see millions wasted on such silliness.


"When you only have two pennies left in the world, build a fountain smack dab in the middle of the intersection of Fifth and Main with one, and build a fountain smack dab in the middle of the intersection of Fifth and Main with the other." ~DTU proverb

[dsjeffries]

quote:Originally posted by booWorld

The offsets along Boston Maul are significant.  What's being built isn't the design DTU promoted for years.  In terms of walking surface, the design promoted by DTU would have been better because the walk areas were to be mostly concrete with smaller areas of unit pavers near the curb and tree planters.  I need to check some facts before being 100% certain on this.  Right now I'm about 99% certain.

Large areas of downtown are a huge mess because so many streets and sidewalks have been torn out at the same time.  This was an extremely foolish management decision in a tight labor market.  The unit pavers themselves are junk from the moment they are installed.  They will be a major maintenance issue for Tulsa, which is a shame.  I hate to see millions wasted on such silliness.


"When you only have two pennies left in the world, build a fountain smack dab in the middle of the intersection of Fifth and Main with one, and build a fountain smack dab in the middle of the intersection of Fifth and Main with the other." ~DTU proverb

While it's an inconvenience, I think it's actually a much smarter decision to do all of this at once... For one thing, just think of the quickly escalating fuel costs and add them into a more spread-out, one-street-at-a-time approach.  This way, it might suck for drivers in the short run, but it'll all be over at the same time, and it will cost less.  Boom! then it's over.

I really dislike the pavers... While they may make it better for trees' roots, it also allows grass and weeds to grow through the cracks if it isn't maintained properly.  And we all know Tulsa's track record with maintining the things that are built...

[booWorld]

quote:Originally posted by DScott28604

While it's an inconvenience, I think it's actually a much smarter decision to do all of this at once... For one thing, just think of the quickly escalating fuel costs and add them into a more spread-out, one-street-at-a-time approach.  This way, it might suck for drivers in the short run, but it'll all be over at the same time, and it will cost less.  Boom! then it's over.

Perhaps having many streets ripped up for weeks and months and years is a good idea.  I'm not a fan of make-work projects.  Getting around downtown is not convenient.  In terms of the sidewalks along Boston Maul, I think it's an unnecessary project that is being dragged out far longer than originally scheduled.  I remember when the City of Tulsa website said that it was scheduled for completion in April 2007.  Then I remember when that date was revised to August 2007.  I vaguely remember reading another revised completion date in the Tulsa World of October 2007, but I'm not certain of this.  Now DTU's website says February 2008.  If the new sidewalks were better than the old ones, then the situation wouldn't be as tragic.  But the brand new unit paver sidewalks are, in general, worse than the concrete sidewalks they replaced.  That's frustrating.  And it's regression, not progress.


"When you only have two pennies left in the world, stay as far away as you possibly can from concrete unit pavers."

[PonderInc]

I've definitely tripped on the paver stones on Main Street.  The occasional brick tends to pop up just a half inch or so, and while you're walking around admiring the architecture and/or surface parking lots, WHAMMO!  (On the bright side, everyone likes it when I trip b/c I do this windmill thing with my arms, which seems to amuse bystanders...)

I'm also curious about the "pedestrian bump outs."  On Brookside, I've found that cars tend to cut the corner (as there's no curb) and will drive right over your toes if you don't get out of the way.  (Most drivers look only to their left before turning right on red...so be alert if you're standing on a corner waiting for the light to change!)  Are these supposed to be SAFER for pedestrians?  (Just look for the tire marks to see where the traffic flow is.)

I'm excited for Boston to be 2-way.  All downtown streets should be.  But all this other stuff?  Acorn lights.  Trip-hazard pavers.  Pedestrian "drive-overs."  Reminds me of the Bartlett Square Fountain Fiasco.  Were these new "improvements" also part of a DTU plan?

[TheArtist]

Should have just made the sidewalks granite slabs and been done with it forever, finito, ad infinitum, etc. etc.

However, though I haven't walked much on the new sidewalks yet, I have been to plenty of other cities with new and "original" brick and cobblestone pavers, that are quite bumpy so we are in good company. I can't imagine that there is anything intrinsically wrong with the pavers per say. I can only surmise that it must be what they are placed on that is causing the purported problems.  

As for the acorn lights. I was downtown just the other evening and they didnt actually seem as bright as I had thought they would be. They did seem to have a cap of some sort inside the top part of the lamp and, though I didnt look too closely at first glance the ones I saw seemed to have LED lights in them? But this was in the Brady District not on Boston Avenue. I would think the "innards" would be the same with the Boston Avenue acorn lights though. Will just have to wait and see when they are on what they actually look like. Again, if they are too bright and harsh. I am certain something can be eventually changed inside the fixtures to remedy the situation. So all is not lost regardless.

[sgrizzle]

FYI: Look both ways when you cross the street. Boston is now 2-way.

Also, 6th Street is closed from Boston-Main for Centennial Green construction. On 6th Street, they are putting in a center island and stamped concrete walking paths.

[booWorld]

^Also watch out for those unit paver sidewalks.  They're rough.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by booWorld

^Also watch out for those unit paver sidewalks.  They're rough.

I would, but mainly I just find big holes where they aren't installed yet.

[deinstein]

This makes my job so much easier.

Also, why would people like me not park in the no parking areas they had? Those loading zones are vital for us delivery guys who have very little time on our hands to spare.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by deinstein

This makes my job so much easier.

Also, why would people like me not park in the no parking areas they had? Those loading zones are vital for us delivery guys who have very little time on our hands to spare.

I'm all for loading zone and 30min parking only from 7th to 1st, cincinnati to cheyenne.

[Kenosha]

Noticed the double yellow stripe today, along with "two way traffic" signs.  Looks like Boston Ave. is now a two way street....

[dsjeffries]

quote:Originally posted by Kenosha

Noticed the double yellow stripe today, along with "two way traffic" signs.  Looks like Boston Ave. is now a two way street....

I drove it last night just to be able to say I went the 'wrong' way down Boston [].

[booWorld]

I've driven south from 3rd.  The City ought to install "ONE WAY" signs at 8th Street so southbound drivers won't be tempted to turn right.  There's a single "ONE WAY" sign at 7th Street near the northwest corner of the intersection, but it's easy to miss.  The City ought to install "ONE WAY" signs at 7th Street also.  

I'm familiar with the one-way streets downtown, but many drivers are confused by them.  The lack of "ONE WAY" signs creates dangerous situations for drivers who might think it's okay to turn west onto 8th when it's not marked otherwise.

I also noticed that the brand new pavement has orange and yellow fluorescent spray paint on it.  Why?  Is it to indicate the location of underground utilities?

[TheArtist]

One street down. Which other streets are to be turned into 2 way, and any idea when? My impression from a map I saw a while back was that most streets would be 2 way downtown except for a couple that directly lead to higway access points.

[booWorld]

^I think sgrizzle posted a link to a map of street plans downtown, but as I recall, the intent is to keep 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, Cincinnati, and Detroit as one-ways, and to convert all other one-way streets to two-way traffic.