El Reno: Sunset Drive/Route 66
The Institute and El Reno develop short- and long-term strategies to keep the city's most critical corridor a thriving district going into the future.
In 2021, the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) initiated the Community Economic Resiliency Initiative (CERI) to offer municipalities the opportunity to develop plans that model strategic investment, sustainable economic recovery, and long-term resiliency in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
ACOG partnered with the University of Oklahoma Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) and Oklahoma Main Street Center to collaborate in shaping the program and providing services to communities selected to participate in CERI. Through a competitive application process, three cities were selected.
The City of El Reno sought a corridor study of Route 66 west of downtown El Reno, known as Sunset Drive. The IQC team conducted regular steering committee meetings, stakeholder interviews with local institutions, design workshops for the public and for high school students, and additional research. The process resulted in “three pillars” for Sunset Drive including safety, economic development, and public image. These goals were explored through proposals for new streetscapes and development patterns.