Council gives go-ahead for the murder of the Civic Center trees.

In another case of power running amok, the Oklahoma City Council gave its approval (7 to 2) for the murder of the trees of the Civic Center Park, the removal of historic monuments, and the subsequent expensive redesign of the park.  Because of this lavish expenditure, money won’t be available to complete the street work needed so there could be some rational traffic rearrangement of our present system of one-way streets that are so dangerous to pedestrians. As noted Oklahoman reporter Steve Lackmeyer in his column yesterday, because of this lunacy (well, he didn’t use the word “lunacy, that’s my rhetorical contribution) –

• Hudson between Reno and Robert S. Kerr will be TWO way.
• Then, between Robert S Kerr and NW 6th, it will be ONE way.
• North of 6th, it will go back to being TWO way.

Steve Lackmeyer reports that at the Council meeting, Dr. Ed Shadid attempted to get an answer from the City Manager about why the priorities were shifted, away from traffic work that relates to public safety, and onto a frilly park redesign that many do not like. Mayor Mick, ever the advocate of transparency (NOT!) cut him off and asked others to speak.  Pat Ryan said “some people like Chevy’s, others prefer Fords. Mick says “we’ll eventually get everything done.” And then Meg-she-who-never-disobeys-Mick-Salyer then chimed in with a full endorsement of the murder of the trees of the Civic Center park.

As Steve notes, people are killed on our stupid arrangement of one-way streets in downtown, which create the illusion of being on a raceway and encourage cars to zoom through town at unsafe speeds and ignore the risks to pedestrians.  So it goes, another day in the City; the rich and powerful win another round and We the People lose.