The city of Tulsa is looking for Route 66 tourism-friendly ideas on how to develop a piece of land under the new Interstate 244 bridge on the west side of the Arkansas River and near Southwest Boulevard (aka Route 66).
A public hearing set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Cyntergy Building at 810 S. Cincinnati Ave. will review the Vision 2025 Route 66 Master Plan, which calls for a viewing area at the historic 11th Street Bridge, reported the Tulsa World.
The newspaper talked to city councilor Jeannie Cue, whose ward includes southwest Tulsa and a sizable chunk of Route 66 in the city.
“Would they like to see picnic tables? A park-like setting? More trail accessibility? Maybe even a skate park?” Cue said. “I just want something that beautifies. … We want something that will enhance that whole area.” […]
The newly finished I-244 bridge has renovations that should be considered, including pedestrian walkways that offer viewing of the 11th Street Bridge, according to a press release.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation owns most of the land around the new bridge, and any proposal has to pass muster with the agency.
About $500,000 has been set aside for planning costs.
Beautifying that area might be a bit of a challenge, simply because almost no sunlight reaches that area under or near the I-244 bridge. So landscaping vegetation probably is out unless there’s some sort of shade-loving plant that could do the trick. Xeriscaping might be a better fit in that area.
I like the idea of walkways that would enable visitors a better view of the Art Deco 11th Street Bridge, which was finished in 1917 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridge carried Route 66 for decades and proved to be a vital link to the region’s oil fields and refineries — the latter which still operate today.
The 11th Street Bridge, however, remains closed because it’s too fragile. Hope springs eternal the bridge eventually will be repaired to allow bicycle or pedestrian use.
(Image of Interstate 244 bridge on the west side of Tulsa in June via Google Street View excerpt)