Oklahoma City Boulevard design gets a bumpy response
The drive along Oklahoma City Boulevard may include a bump in the road, literally, in the form of an elevated stretch that wasn't part of the original plan. This has caused a stir that's unlikely to be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties.
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The boulevard will run along the path of the original, elevated Interstate 40 Crosstown Expressway. From the start, city officials and others expected the boulevard would be primarily at ground level.
But a design presented to the city council two weeks ago has it elevated from Western Avenue over to Lee Avenue. The city's public works director sees the reasoning for that — it avoids what would otherwise be a string of tightly bunched traffic lights that would gum up traffic.
But frustration is evident from city council members who say they didn't think the boulevard would be elevated east of Western, and that they weren't well-informed about the design. A commercial broker says developers have vowed not to invest in the area if the boulevard isn't at street level.
