The City of OKC sends this information as posted below:
Everyone is invited to the Automobile Alley Streetscape ribbon cutting on Tuesday, Nov. 25, at 11 a.m. The ceremony celebrates the completion of the “Better Broadway” streetscape project, which has improved walkability, safety and accessibility in the historic district.
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt will lead the Nov. 25 ribbon cutting on the southeast corner of Broadway Avenue and NW 9th Street.
About the streetscape
The streetscape project was shaped, in part, by Automobile Alley’s board for the betterment of local businesses and district visitors. The primary goal was to create a safer and more accessible experience in the district.
To achieve that goal, the streetscape included:
- Crosswalk striping at every intersection, and flashing pedestrian signs were installed at NW 7th and 9th Streets.
- ADA-compliant crosswalks.
- Crosswalks were shortened with new bump-outs at every corner, reducing the average crossing distance from 75 to 45 feet.
- On-street parking was reconfigured to angled parking, adding 30 additional spaces, including 15 ADA spaces with ramps and access aisles.
- Resurfacing from NW 13th Street to Dean A. McGee Avenue.
- Improved sidewalks from Park Place to Dean A. McGee Avenue.
On the west side of the street, 28 new amenity poles were added, giving the district the ability to hang banners, holiday decorations, and possibly even add music to the street someday.
Lastly, 51 new trees were planted. The trees were funded by the Parks & Public Space Initiative through the Margaret Annis Boys Trust at Oklahoma City Community Foundation.
The $5 million enhancement project was funded through the Better Streets, Safer City sales tax election and Capital Improvement Project Funds.
Automobile Alley history
Broadway Avenue is one of our OKC’s oldest and most iconic streets. In 1889, it was the widest street in the city, designed to accommodate a team of horses and wagons turning around.
By 1922, it was home to more than 50 automobile showrooms, and 95% of Oklahoma City’s cars were sold right here on Broadway. It became known as Automobile Row, eventually housing 76 dealerships.
But by 1995, many of those buildings stood empty and boarded up, and after the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building, the area’s future was uncertain.
A study by the Urban Land Institute, along with leadership from then-Mayor Ron Norick, led to the creation of the Automobile Alley Main Street Program. The initiative inspired more than $30 million in private investment and helped spark the district’s rebirth.
Since then, the street has become home to local restaurants, boutiques, creative studios and offices. It also hosts signature events, like Lights on Broadway, which begins Saturday, Nov. 29.
About Better Streets, Safer City
In 2017, Oklahoma City voters approved a 13-proposition bond package and two sales tax initiatives called Better Streets, Safer City. The 10-year, $967 million bond package invests in streets, police and fire facilities, parks and other basic needs. A permanent ¼ center sales tax is helping hire 129 more police officers and 57 more firefighters with an annual $26 million boost for public safety and other day-to-day operations. A temporary penny sales tax extension included in the project generated an additional $240 million for street resurfacing, streetscapes, trails, sidewalks and bicycle infrastructure.
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