The Norman City Council is hearing updates regarding the Norman center city design implementation plan at its study session meeting on Tuesday.
Johnson and Associates, an Oklahoma City-based civil engineering firm, presented the plan.
Mark Zitzow, director of urban planning for Johnson and Associates, said they were waiting for the stakeholder group to be approved by council before presenting. He added the committee will dictate design plans and changes.
Zitzow said the presentation included suggestions Johnson and Associates believed Norman residents want. He said Johnson and Associates are looking for feedback and encouraged the committee to provide suggestions.
The presentation highlights pedestrian safety, including adding wider sidewalks and safer crossings. Zitzow added the plans could include pavement treatments, alongside shortening pedestrian crossings.
Zitzow also suggested elevated crossings, which he said would be slightly noticeable by cars driving over them.
“You lower the curb down a few inches and you bring the street up a few inches until the car ramps up,” Zitzow said. “It's less intrusive than a speed bump.”
Zitzow said Johnson and Associates will provide a visual presentation to the committee and determine what it approved and disapproved of. He added he hopes the committee does not dislike the plans once they are implemented.
“We don't want anyone to be unhappy at the end of the day,” Zitzow said. “We want everyone to be really excited and proud of the streetscapes that get put together.”
The Norman center city design plan is a project to oversee guidance and regulations for future development in central Norman. The project is jointly funded by OU and the city, according to Norman’s website.
The project area includes West Main Street, Campus Corner and residential neighborhoods in between. The project’s boundaries are Gray Street on the north, Boyd Street on the south, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks on the east and Flood Street on the west.
