The City of Broken Arrow has been made aware of some confusion regarding the New Orleans Square area and the intersection at New Orleans and Elm in south BA, specifically the lanes on those primary streets.
First, the intersection. Elm Place and New Orleans Street are NOT being reduced to two lanes. The design for the construction of the new intersection is nearing completion and will include four lanes with a fifth turning lane. The improvements at the intersection will include beautification amenities, such as decorative plantings and shade trees, improved lighting, wider sidewalks, traffic signal upgrades, and enhanced crosswalks. The intersection design will go before City Council for approval at a yet to be determined future meeting.
Next, New Orleans Square. City Council recently approved a zoning framework, the New Orleans Square Overlay, that will help guide redevelopment and future development in the area. The Overlay is a long-term vision and urban design zoning plan, essentially a set of rules for the future of building there. It is NOT a specific project with a timeline and funding attached to it. The Overlay reimagines the area by encouraging grand ideas, expanding housing options, increasing walkability, and establishing standards for new internal secondary streets, buildings, and zoning. In the image below, the top graphic shows the most recent design of the intersection that was presented to Council in the fall. The bottom left graphic shows the potential internal secondary streets. The bottom right graphic is a conceptual design of how the internal secondary streets may potentially look.
 We’re incredibly excited about the progress being made in the revitalization of the New Orleans Square area! Keep an eye out for construction that will begin soon on wider, continuous sidewalks on both sides of New Orleans Street between Aspen Avenue and Elm Place.Click to edit this placeholder text.
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