Ballpark streetscaping

[TheTed]

They have some new "streetscaping" today in front of the ballpark. Elgin has the usual gameday barriers preventing cars from traveling down it. But there are five or so cars parked perpendicularly across the middle of Elgin. Hope this doesn't become permanent. It's one of the few spaces in Tulsa where the needs of pedestrians have been met. The middle of that street doesn't need to become more parking (with the exception of the handicapped parking on the sides of Elgin there).

On another pedestrian ballpark access note, is it possible for the police to consider writing some tickets for blocking the sidewalk during events? People are always parked in front of the Mathews Warehouse on Archer completely blocking the sidewalk. I've reported sidewalk blockades before (all the delivery trucks on Denver by the courthouse) with no results. Who needs to be notified?

[sgrizzle]

The dedication of John Hope Franklin Park is today on the other side of Elgin. I assume there might be a connection.

[TheTed]

Two years later, still no sidewalks.

On the Elgin approach from the Blue Dome, there was a sidewalk on one side of the street. Now that sidewalk is torn up (utility work?). There are a bunch of contractor trucks parked on said sidewalk.

On the Brady approach from the Brady District, the south side of the street still has no sidewalk. During games, there's usually a car parked on the goat path that serves as a de facto sidewalk. On the north side of Brady, there's a sidewalk, but it serves as a de facto motorcycle parking area during games.

If we can't get streetscaping, how about a parking enforcement person to walk the sidewalks around the park during games and ticket all the violations? Sometimes I wonder if parking enforcement types have ever ticketed a sidewalk parker.

[sgrizzle]

I believe the Brady streetscaping is supposed to start when the park is complete. As far as Elgin, that involves two districts and blue dome tiff money can pay for the area up to the tracks but not beyond.

[DowntownDan]

Streetscaping has taken off over the last week on first street north of the BOK Tower/Williams Resource accross from the Jazz Depot/Central Parking.  New lamp posts and trees.  It basically mirrors what is on the south side of the building on Second Street across from the Hyatt/parking garage/PAC.  Nothing extravagant, but nice nonetheless and will give that area a nicer feel when walking between parking and the BOK Center or ballpark.

[TheTed]

Streetscaping has taken off over the last week on first street north of the BOK Tower/Williams Resource accross from the Jazz Depot/Central Parking.  New lamp posts and trees.  It basically mirrors what is on the south side of the building on Second Street across from the Hyatt/parking garage/PAC.  Nothing extravagant, but nice nonetheless and will give that area a nicer feel when walking between parking and the BOK Center or ballpark.

I noticed this and give it two thumbs up. Mainly because we repurposed what was a parking lane into added pedestrian space. This is an idea that needs to be implemented throughout downtown.

Stop building (or rebuilding) downtown streets to make sure they have excess capacity at the busiest 15 minutes of the busiest day of the year.