ROUTE 66/SUNSET DRIVE CORRIDOR STUDY

The Corridor Study area consists of Sunset Drive in El Reno, between Petree Plaza and Adams Park. Between both landmarks is one mile of Route 66, named Sunset Drive. Through community engagement and interviews with stakeholder groups, three major themes arose which became the three pillars of the Sunset Drive project:

1. A Safe Place for All
2. Community & Economic Development
3. Public Image

Project Recommendations: 

A SAFE PLACE FOR ALL
Pedestrians feel safe crossing the street
Pedestrians feel safe walking on the sidewalks
COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Public commitment to creating a district that attracts entrepreneurs to Sunset Drive
Businesses and services on Sunset Drive that serve tourists and locals alike
PUBLIC IMAGE
There is civic pride for Sunset Drive
Properties are well-maintained & attractive
TOURISM
Tourists respond to cues inviting them to stop & get out of their cars
Tourists easily navigate Route 66 in El Reno

THE ELBOW CULTURAL & RECREATIONAL AREA PLAN

The area known as The Elbow in Guthrie, was an African American community founded in 1903. After over a century of flooding, the neighborhood was condemned. Some residents relocated, while others decided to stay.

Traditionally, society builds museums and erects monuments to honor history and culture. For the Guthrie CERI Project, these methods are not available, due to no structure being built within a floodway; therefore, the Elbow community will be recreated virtually.

Visitors to the site will walk the former streets which have been reimagined as greenway trails, gaze upon virtual recreations of the buildings while viewing historic photos and listening to interviews of former residents and their descendants.

Project Recommendations: 

• Allow the former residents and their descendants to name the recreational and cultural area
• Continue to build the augmented reality model by gathering interviews and family memorabilia
• Restore S. 5th St. to connect the Recreational and Cultural area to Downtown and install on-street parking and pedestrian pathways
• Develop city-owned land along S.5th Street into socializing spaces to attract people to the Recreational and Cultural Area
• Build a pedestrian/service vehicle bridge over Cottonwood Creek at W. Perkins Ave. to connect to the Recreational and Cultural Area

DOWNTOWN SWEENEY SWITCH PLAN

The goal of the Harrah CERI project is to provide a framework to transform downtown Harrah into a walkable destination branded as Sweeney Switch.

Harrah may seem like a typical rural Oklahoma town, but its circumstances are changing rapidly. The new Kickapoo Turnpike is inducing rapid growth of exurban development in large-lot residential subdivisions. Commercial development is sure to follow. The challenge is to avoid car dependent sprawl and funnel shops and businesses into a revitalized town center.

Project Recommendations: 

• Remove downtown Harrah from the regulatory floodplain using natural barriers and compensatory storage
• Calm traffic and improve the streetscapes of Church Avenue, Main Street, and Tim Holt Drive
• Devise a parking strategy primarily using on-street angled parking
• Connect downtown with the parks, schools, and neighborhoods by expanding trails
• Encourage mixed-use downtown development of vacant lots and rehabilitation of older buildings

23rd STREET CORRIDOR PLAN

The City of Choctaw sought a corridor study of 23rd Street, Choctaw’s primary commercial corridor. The IQC team conducted regular steering committee meetings, composed a community survey for citizens and high school students, along with additional research about the local area.

The process resulted in four pillars for NE 23rd Street including pedestrian prioritization, economic development, housing, and placemaking. These goals were explored through conceptual designs, case studies, and a sidewalk gap analysis.

Project Recommendations: 

• Pedestrian Prioritization
• Economic Development
• Housing
• Placemaking

MAIN STREET PROJECT: Heart of the Community

The City of Noble sought a plan for its historic downtown district. The IQC team conducted regular steering committee meetings and attended two local festivals to engage with residents on participation for a community survey and design preference activities.

Research and data collection/analysis were also key components of this project to gage a sense of the community’s needs and preferences.

The process resulted in four big themes: pedestrian safety, placemaking, beautification, and economic development.

Project Recommendations: 

• Pedestrian Safety
• Placemaking
• Beautifiation
• Economic Development