"Drawings included the possible addition of a three- or four-story parking structure, and potential for street-level retail development."

When is it thought that these will be released to the public?

That piece of land, since it butts up directly to the retaining wall along I-40, would have been less desirable for redevelopment than the others. Now, with an extension of the streetcar line to the barn, it may actually jump-start development of the more northerly parcels. So even the barn can facilitate TOD.

That piece of land, since it butts up directly to the retaining wall along I-40, would have been less desirable for redevelopment than the others. Now, with an extension of the streetcar line to the barn, it may actually jump-start development of the more northerly parcels. So even the barn can facilitate TOD.

They should also plan to have track come out west of the facility onto Walker, both south and north (like a wye) for Phase II construction toward Capitol Hill.

Here are some renderings of the streetcar garage from the presentation:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scbar4.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scbarn3.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scbarn2.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scbarn1.jpg

Is there not enough money for something a tad more attractive?

I doubt it and either way
Where can you even see it from?

If they put that parking garage in (which I really think they should, it's needed, and will only be more needed down the line), I'm not sure it would matter as it would be completely obstructed. That said, let's start talking about the design of that garage and how it should look from the park perspective...

Also, it's a shame you won't be able to just hop on a street car from across the street from union station as a car is re-entering service... I mean, if you're already down there enjoying the future amenities of Union Station...

Would the parking garage be an OCURA project?

Is there not enough money for something a tad more attractive? Something like this would make more sense if it was in an industrial area but this is right next to our prized new park. A metal building, for real?

Other cities seem to be putting in a little more attention to detail.



I don't think anyone has been hired for any actual building design, so I wouldn't pin my hat on anything at this point... This is purely a graphical representation of how it could be sited.

Would the parking garage be an OCURA project?

COTPA.

They are HQ'd in Union Station.

Is there not enough money for something a tad more attractive? Something like this would make more sense if it was in an industrial area but this is right next to our prized new park. A metal building, for real?

Other cities seem to be putting in a little more attention to detail.

Of course not...this is how we do it in the Oh Kay See. Cheap = good.

The streetcar gliding past Union Station and the park..... Oh my!

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scbar4.jpg

I want to buy a ticket! I'm ready -- card is already out of the wallet... Oh wait.. it's not built yet. :(

Patience.
:)

The article says non-revenue track?

Will the streetcar run on these tracks regularly for service?

The article says non-revenue track?

Will the streetcar run on these tracks regularly for service?

Not initially for the Phase 1 Zeta route. This track would be used for access to/from the facility to the main route at the start and end of the day. The situation would be similar to the way such non-revenue track is used to access maintenance facilities in Seattle and Tacoma (amongst other places) where the car barn is not immediately on the streetcar route.

However, it is possible that this stretch of line could be used in a bidirectional mode for special events at the park, especially if a stop is constructed at 7th and Hudson. So you could think of that as a Phase 1.2 as was discussed at the streetcar subcommittee meeting yesterday.

To my mind, one of the most intriguing aspects of this site/routing is that it could promote securing other (TIF?) funds to complete the couplet with Walker to fully serve the SW Park area as it is developed. This could mean that the MAPS streetcar Phase 2 funds could be used to expand the streetcar in another direction such as towards OCU or the Health Sciences Center.

Again, this is a very cost-effective choice while also making a strong statement about future expansion of the streetcar network.

Not initially for the Phase 1 Zeta route. This track would be used for access to/from the facility to the main route at the start and end of the day, similar to the way such non-revenue track is used to access maintenance facilities in Seattle and Tacoma amongst other places.

However, it is possible that this stretch of line could be used for special events at the park, especially if a stop is constructed at 7th and Hudson. So you could think of that as a Phase 1.2 as was discussed at the streetcar subcommittee meeting yesterday.

To my mind, one of the most intriguing aspects of this site/routing is that it could promote securing other (TIF?) funds to complete the couplet with Walker to fully serve the SW Park area as it is developed. This could mean that the MAPS streetcar Phase 2 funds could be used to expand the streetcar in another direction such as towards OCU or the Health Sciences Center.

Again, this is a very cost-effective choice while also making a strong statement about future expansion of the streetcar network.

Cool. Thanks for the explanation. I intended to make the meeting yesterday, but was called in to work.

Yeah guys, I wouldn't trip out too much regarding the depiction of the car "barn". The building design hasn't been let and quite frankly I think it is entirely possible for the "barn" should it remain a "barn" to completely disappear within the bowels of the garage should it be constructed.

We are working hand in hand with Cathy O'Connor regarding the redevelopment just to the north. As long as the economy says strong, I think it is entirely possible for this area to be developed fairly quickly. Our committee had an extensive conversation regarding the importance of architecture, urbanity, and street walls. We actually insisted that the garage concept (including ground level retail accommodations) be included in this plan from the very beginning.

Parking could in theory be a revenue generator to help mitigate the Operations and Maintenance costs of the streetcar.

This site is bound by extraordinarily tall retaining walls on two sides, the south and the west. It is a perfect site for something you don't care to see. Now it just needs street wall frontage along 7th and on the corner and hopefully provide a "bookend" to a great development just to the north.

Here are some renderings of the streetcar garage from the presentation:







http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scbarn2.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scbarn1.jpg

The sidewalk level rendering of this garage needs some visual work to better depict shops or potential retail space, but I think this ultimately what everybody wants. I requested an updated rendering and analysis that extends the frontage all of the way to Walker completely obliterating the surface parking lot.

Also, there are existing mature trees on the site we want to save in the interim. They visually screen the First Phase building site site fairly well from the park as it stands now.

There is something else to remember regarding the building and comparing it to other cities; we are planning a building that can house 15 streetcar units. At most other cities, streetcars sit in a completely exposed outdoor environment. We are worried about the extreme weather here. MAPS 3 only calls for an initial 6 streetcars to be purchased. The subcommittee requested a building that can house the maximum amount of vehicles in the interior with the MAPS 3 budget that we have to anticipate future growth and provide indoor protection to these very expensive civic multimillion dollar assets.

That may have in turn caused the consultants to set expectations for the architecture of the building itself in the renderings very, very low without a bigger budget.

Cool things can be done with even utilitarian buildings. I hold out confidence that our architects, Hans Butzer and Anthony McDermid, will pull through if the project work orders are processed under the current team.

I like what you are saying.

Even if it is a false wall, would still love to see it pushed up to 7th with no setback.

You and I don't disagree one bit on the importance of improving the pedestrian environment in OKC. I think since this is one of the first structures to be built in C2S, I'd very, very much like for it to start to set the standard, at least in terms of walkability. Start at Walker with a nice streetwall that follows 7th. Any garage to the east can include ground or streetside retail/commercial. It's always hardest to create precedence and we've got some of the best advocates in the city for good walkability and a better pedestrian environment sitting on your committee. It is a golden opportunity to leverage that passion and those $ to help create a pattern that can be sustained.

And from the pictures I've shown already, even calling it a "barn" doesn't mean it can't be nice looking or even follow a pretty cool design/theme.

Totally agree. I think that working with the Park Subcommittee and The Alliance is key to finding the additional funds to achieve all of those objectives. We need their help.

That looks like a great location. Nice job committee members, you are providing a great service to the city.

Yes, excellent work UP, Tier 2, Hutch and all others!!

And I particularly like the idea of working WITH the other committees and also the alliance. It has been proven time and time again, that in OKC - working together gets things done! and done BIG.

ONLY if we could have adopted this approach with Project 180 then we could have truly redeveloped every street downtown AND had 6+ miles of streetcar with minimal disruption to streetfront business. ...

I don't think anyone has been hired for any actual building design, so I wouldn't pin my hat on anything at this point... This is purely a graphical representation of how it could be sited.

Why is it with anything in OKC the 'graphical representation' is always crappy? If money is no object at this point why not draw something nicer? Do brick colored crayons cost more than concrete colored ones or something? Maybe the artist can't draw bricks.

COTPA.

They are HQ'd in Union Station.

I meant COPTA, not sure why I put OCURA. Thanks for the correction.

I meant COPTA, not sure why I put OCURA. Thanks for the correction.

I always want to say COPTA too. It just comes out easier...

And technically now it is "EMBARK". lol

Reminds me of Em Park!

Empowers you to park! lol

If COTPA's parking revenues, even part of the revenue, went to transit, I would feel differently.

Just a reminder of the many battles we have had to fight with them... July 12, 2013 Potential Conflict with Rail Line - Parking Garage Discussion in OKC - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nutwzcPP8TI)

Your right. It just has been a long 10 years.

John Norquist to Ed Shadid (2012): Don't Allow Politics Delay Streetcar | News OK (http://newsok.com/john-norquist-to-ed-shadid-2012-dont-allow-politics-delay-streetcar/article/3910753?nextArticle=1&linkPosition=anchored)

Steve has a little insight to comments made to Ed from the Milwaukee mayor - 'Don't allow Politics to Stop the Streetcar project -'

Doesn't look like Ed listened though.

Thanks for pointing out those comments Steve. I had forgotten about them.

John Norquist to Ed Shadid (2012): Don't Allow Politics Delay Streetcar | News OK (http://newsok.com/john-norquist-to-ed-shadid-2012-dont-allow-politics-delay-streetcar/article/3910753?nextArticle=1&linkPosition=anchored)

Steve has a little insight to comments made to Ed from the Milwaukee mayor - 'Don't allow Politics to Stop the Streetcar project -'

Doesn't look like Ed listened though.

I don't think he listens. I know a couple of politically astute people who have given him good advice in the past that he has completely ignored.

I was present for a few discussions with Mr Norquist - agreed with him just about 100%; but many of his recommendations have been discarded evidently.

New streetcar hailed for delivering development :: The Salt Lake Tribune (http://m.sltrib.com/sltrib/mobile3/57225343-219/development-fare-lake-million.html.csp)

Building one line definitely increases the likelihood of getting future federal grants. My iPhone isn't letting me copy and paste, but read paragraph 7 and the comment about the Obama Administration.

Tram wars! Why streetcars are back ? whether you like it or not - Salon.com (http://www.salon.com/2013/12/28/tram_wars_why_streetcars_are_back_%e2%80%94_whethe r_you_like_it_or_not/)

Tram wars! Why streetcars are back ? whether you like it or not - Salon.com (http://www.salon.com/2013/12/28/tram_wars_why_streetcars_are_back_%e2%80%94_whethe r_you_like_it_or_not/)

I hate articles like that... using retro trolley images and quotes from people that aren't pro-streetcar. In fact, re-reading it, I don't see a single quote from a pro-streetcar person (maybe I missed it). Further, calling them a direct response to the TIGER grant program is silly. It may have enabled some of them to happen faster, but it's certainly not the only means-to-the-end or a driver for the want/need.

What proportion if TIGER grants actually go to streetcar systems and furthermore, isn't the flexibility of that grant program a direct result of the emergence of streetcars (is it chicken or egg) and ultimately every transit network we have ESPECIALLY freeways is just the result of how federal funding is made accessible.

2013 TIGER Grants Announced

U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx Announces $474 Million for 52 TIGER 2013 Projects in 37 States

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today announced that 52 transportation projects in 37 states will receive a total of approximately $474 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) 2013 discretionary grant program. Among these, 25 projects funded at $123.4 million will be designated for projects in rural areas of the country.

“These transformational TIGER projects are the best argument for investment in our transportation infrastructure,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “Together, they support President Obama’s call to ensure a stronger transportation system for future generations by repairing existing infrastructure, connecting people to new jobs and opportunities, and contributing to our nation’s economic growth.”

Detailed information for each of the below awards can be found here.

State

Applicant Organization

Project Name

Funding

AK

Village of Alakanuk

Alakanuk Community Streets Improvement

$2,200,000

AL

City of Foley

Foley Transportation Regional Infrastructure Pedestrian System

$4,728,507

AR

Arkansas DOT

Highway 92 Roadway Improvement and Bridge Replacements

$4,960,000

AZ

Pima County

Port of Tucson: Container Export Rail Facility

$5,000,000

CA

City of Fresno

Fulton Mall Reconstruction

$15,924,620

CA

San Diego Association of Governments

Pacific Surfliner Coastal Railway Bridges

$14,000,000

CA

Town of Truckee

State Route 89 Railroad Undercrossing

$1,500,000

CO

Colorado DOT

Eisenhower/Johnson Memorial Tunnel Fire Suppression

$10,000,000

CO

Town of Windsor

Great Western Freight Improvement

$2,790,185

CT

Connecticut DOT

State Street Station Expansion

$10,000,000

DE

Diamond State Port Corporation

Rehabilitation of Wharf Unit 1 (Berths 5/6)

$10,000,000

FL

Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization

Lee County Complete Streets Initiative

$10,473,900

FL

Florida DOT

South Florida Freight & Passenger Rail Enhancement

$13,750,000

FL

Florida International University

University City Prosperity Project

$11,397,120

GA

City of Atlanta

Southwest Atlanta BeltLine Corridor Trail

$18,000,000

IA

Winneshiek County

Northeast Iowa's Livable Rural Communities

$1,651,475

IL

City of Springfield

Springfield Rail Improvements

$14,400,000

IN

Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation

IndyGo Electric Bus

$10,000,000

IN

Indiana DOT

White River Freight Railroad Bridge Replacement

$8,245,220

MA

City of Boston

Connect Historic Boston

$15,523,700

MD

Maryland Port Administration

Port of Baltimore Enhancements

$10,000,000

ME

Eastport Port Authority

Eastport Breakwater Replacement

$6,000,000

MI

Michigan DOT

Kalamazoo to Dearborn Rail Improvements

$9,383,036

MN

Minnesota DOT

Minnesota Rural Roads ITS

$1,457,307

MN

Duluth Seaway Port Authority

Port of Duluth Intermodal

$10,000,000

MO

City of Kansas City

Kansas City Downtown Streetcar

$20,000,000

MS

Mississippi DOT

I-20 Mississippi River Bridge Rehabilitation

$4,250,000

MS

Jackson County Port Authority

Port of Pascagoula Intermodal Improvement

$14,000,000

MT

Missoula County

Missoula to Lolo Trail

$4,580,363

NC

City of Goldsboro

Goldsboro Main Street Revitalization

$10,000,000

NC

City of Raleigh

Raleigh Union Station Phase 1B

$10,000,000

NH

New Hampshire DOT

New Hampshire Northcoast Rail Corridor Improvements

$1,400,000

NM

Taos Pueblo

Taos Pueblo Veterans Highway

$3,290,121

NV

Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe

Pelican Point Roads

$2,949,513

NY

City of Rochester

Inner Loop East Reconstruction

$17,700,000

NY

Port of Oswego Authority

Port of Oswego: East Terminal Intermodal Connector

$1,527,000

NY

City of Olean

Walkable Olean: Complete Street Transformation

$6,500,000

OK

Oklahoma DOT

Erick to Sayre Freight Railroad Rehabilitation

$1,831,000

OK

City of Oklahoma City

OKC Intermodal Transportation Hub

$13,591,178

OR

Port of Garibaldi

Port of Garibaldi Wharf Revitalization

$1,474,761

PA

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority

SEPTA-CSX Separation Project

$10,000,000

RI

Rhode Island DOT

Apponaug Circulator Improvements

$10,000,000

SD

Oglala Sioux Tribe

Improvements to BIA Route 2

$8,777,960

TN

Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority

Nashville Transit Signal Priority System

$10,000,000

TX

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Moving Central Texas

$11,337,989

TX

Sun Metro

Northgate Transfer Center

$10,302,054

TX

Port of Houston Authority

Port of Houston: Bayport Wharf

$10,000,000

VA

Virginia DOT

Delta Frame Bridge

$11,957,984

VT

Vermont DOT

Western Corridor Rail Rehabilitation

$8,992,007

WA

Sound Transit

I-90 Two Way Transit and HOV

$14,000,000

WA

Sound Transit

Tacoma Trestle Replacement

$10,000,000

WY

Town of Jackson

Jackson Transit Facility

$8,000,000

2013 Webinar Series

Please join us for a series of online webinars on the FY 2013 TIGER application process. There are no registration fees for these sessions, however space is limited so advance registration is required. Register for the webinars by clicking on the webinar topics listed below. Recordings and presentation materials are available for past sessions.

The point I'm making was rhetorical but is heavily backed up by posting that, TIGER is not the impetus for all these new streetcars. Anyone who thinks that is a neocon, pro-highway hack. The impetus for all these new streetcars is a grassroots, locally born desire in all of these cities for a transformative capital project.

I hate articles like that... using retro trolley images and quotes from people that aren't pro-streetcar. In fact, re-reading it, I don't see a single quote from a pro-streetcar person (maybe I missed it). Further, calling them a direct response to the TIGER grant program is silly. It may have enabled some of them to happen faster, but it's certainly not the only means-to-the-end or a driver for the want/need.

Did one of Ed's minions write that piece? It was absolute $hit. I noticed it featured noted streetcarphobe Jarrett Walker offering his groundless, douchey opinions.

Jarett will freely admit people prefer streetcars over buses, as has been demonstrated in Portland where they've noted riders passing up a bus to wait for these streetcar. I understand
his points about buses, but I never felt he understood transit attitudes in OKC. He also did not understand MAPS, and when Ed brought him here it was clear he either misinformed Jarett or at least left him uninformed. In a perfect world, all of Jarett's points are reasonable and logical. But we don't have that perfect world here. We have a ways to go before we're ready for that, IMO.

nm

Sad you feel this way. I've known Jarrett for many years and consider him a good friend. Never thought of him as a douche.

It isn't like he doesn't have experience. The man lives and breaths public transit. And I agree with much of what he says about streetcars. However, as I've said before, we are post-vote and it's time to move on. I introduced Ed to Jarrett and so please don't toss Jarrett on the Ed bus just because of a affiliation of them both via the talk he gave at one of Ed's events.

We're better than that. We can agree to disagree with folks without calling them names. If you really think he's a douche, I'd love to hear your reasons why.

On edit: If anyone is curious about who Jarrett is and what he believes, he has hosted a great blog for many years at Human Transit (http://www.humantransit.org/). His book is also good. I think most urbanists on here would be very hard pressed to find fundamental positions you'd disagree with Jarrett on.

The guy hates streetcars and is immune to facts that might alter his opinion. He's a bus expert who has a bane toward streetcars. He may be a very nice guy, and I didn't call him a douche, I called out his douchey opinions, which are extremely biased against streetcars. I didn't call him a douche, I wasn't trying to insult his person, I was insulting his ideas. I'm sorry it came out otherwise.

Sad you feel this way. I've known Jarrett for many years and consider him a good friend. Never thought of him as a douche.

It isn't like he doesn't have experience. The man lives and breaths public transit. And I agree with much of what he says about streetcars. However, as I've said before, we are post-vote and it's time to move on. I introduced Ed to Jarrett and so please don't toss Jarrett on the Ed bus just because of a affiliation of them both via the talk he gave at one of Ed's events.

We're better than that. We can agree to disagree with folks without calling them names. If you really think he's a douche, I'd love to hear your reasons why.

On edit: If anyone is curious about who Jarrett is and what he believes, he has hosted a great blog for many years at Human Transit (http://www.humantransit.org/). His book is also good. I think most urbanists on here would be very hard pressed to find fundamental positions you'd disagree with Jarrett on.

Um, the streetcar? For one?

What I don't disagree with him on: the importance of transit equity and even the role a bus system plays in that. But not at the expense of an easy, slam-dunk win, transformative project we all (mostly) voted for.

If a measly $500 million over 5 years (or 1/2 billion if you want it to sound like more) resulted in a doubling of the number of streetcar systems then that is an endorsement of the streetcar, not an inditement.

A four mile streetcar route in a city the size of ours cannot be evaluated only as transit. It has to be viewed as part of the big picture: transit for some, TOd driver, attitude changer, "last mile" of a comprehensive system. If ours can do all that, and I think it can, it's a great investment in our transit future.

I can appreciate this for sure. But it isn't "last mile", which would be my favorite of the reasons you've given. It doesn't connect to the bus system so any of the 10k bus riders that use our buses can't get off a bus and then use the streetcar in that way. Your other reasons are certainly good reasons to support it.

How does it not connect to the bus system ?

I can appreciate this for sure. But it isn't "last mile", which would be my favorite of the reasons you've given. It doesn't connect to the bus system so any of the 10k bus riders that use our buses can't get off a bus and then use the streetcar in that way. Your other reasons are certainly good reasons to support it.

What? The streetcar route goes right to the bus transfer center.

And regarding your fine points about Mr. Walker, he was "brought here" by Ed to undermine the streetcar. That much is obvious. From his public comments, I'm not sure Mr. Walker understands MAPS and how it works, so there's that. I'll take you at your word that he's not "anti-streetcar," but he seems to be a reliable anti-streetcar quote in just about any article or opinion piece I see.

It doesn't connect to the bus station. What's the confusion about?

Oh, you're talking about the inter-city bus system, a la Greyhound? Well, that was moved way the hell out on MLK.

As for the bus transfer center, the route has a direct connection.

If we're going to tout walkability, then the fact that the streetcar stops across the street from the transit center is close enough. And eventually the Santa Fe station will be our hub. The streetcar will stop there.

I introduced Ed to Jarrett and so please don't toss Jarrett on the Ed bus just because of a affiliation of them both via the talk he gave at one of Ed's events.

Ahh dear friend! And it was I who thought I introduced him to Ed! LOL Now I don't have to live with the guilt of doing so... lol

No seriously, I am not sure who introduced who or spoke to who at what time. I encouraged them to meet at Railvolution because at that time I did not know about Ed's ulterior motives to create controversy for his mayoral run.

I spoke to Jarrett countless hours about the bus system issues via phone before the bus system study commenced. I wasn't surprised in the least when Ed brought him in to speak at Ed's "transit symposium" and was fortunate enough to have breakfast and spend a few hours with him before the event.

Lets be clear about this- Ed brought Jarrett in to try to help Ed put the kibosh on the streetcar and generate negative controversy about transit by trying reinforce Ed's opinions with an expert.

We spent an incredible amount of time talking about the politics of OKC, the 2005 Fixed Guideway Study (of which Jarrett Walker knew nothing about), MAPS 3 funding (which Walker knew little about), and who Ed is, and what his agenda was (to create negative controversy).

I agreed with nearly 100% of Walker's opinions about the bus system at the time and some of his streetcar opinions. I would like to think that he took a much more nuanced tone about the MAPS 3 streetcar once he had heard all of the facts and history about the project. Needless to say, Ed had only told him want Ed wanted Mr. Walker to know and he had a pretty constrained negative opinion about the streetcar project as of that morning. Plus he was being paid a speaker's fee and travel expenses via Ed.

Needless to say, I think very highly of his opinions about bus service and many of his points about streetcar are true. I shudder to think what he would have said or suggested to the audience had we not had a chance to talk at length that morning.

the reason I had planted that idea into my head is because the route is one-way right there. So it's not ideal for transfers. But yeah, it does touch the station.

Just some clarification. The streetcar route approved by our city council and in engineering does provide a direct connection to the existing Metro Transit Bus Transfer Center. In addition, Nelson Nygaard's proposed bus system improvements provide overlapping stops for inbound and outbound buses in nearly every direction in and out of downtown.

Streetcar stops will be meshed with bus stops enabling transfers on many bus lines. This is all enabled to the new "grid concept" and reformatted bus lines currently underway. Streetcar will also replace former bus stops to enable greater efficiency on the overall bus system.

Also, the existing bus transfer center is exactly two blocks away from the intersecting streetcar lines running in both directions N/S and E/W (Robinson and 4th street).

Lol. Take it!

So happy to read-

Cincinnati's streetcar advocates fought City Hall, won (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/26/cincinnati-streetcar-fight/4212727/)

So happy to read-

Cincinnati's streetcar advocates fought City Hall, won (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/26/cincinnati-streetcar-fight/4212727/)

That's awesome!

So happy to read-

Cincinnati's streetcar advocates fought City Hall, won (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/26/cincinnati-streetcar-fight/4212727/)

Thank you for posting. That mayor seems like a total tool. It's embarrassing when someone from your own ideological persuasion is so bad. He reminds me of Shadid when he talks about "expanding the middle class." I'm sorry, but what can a mayor do to do that besides recruiting employers to his / her community?

Not sure where to put this but Lubbock is planning a monorail system to run from downtown to Tech to encourage Tech students to live downtown.

Texas Tech to downtown monorail could more than a daydream for Lubbock, McDougal says | Lubbock Online Mobile Edition (http://m.lubbockonline.com/local-news/2014-01-04/texas-tech-downtown-monorail-could-more-daydream-lubbock-mcdougal-says)

This is why vigilance is necessary - there are elements in OKC that would take us down this chaotic and counterproductive path.

The Political Hypocrisy Behind Infrastructure - Strong Towns Blog - Strong Towns (http://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2014/1/14/the-political-hypocrisy-behind-infrastructure.html#.Uta9rtIwRMh)

I listened to Ed's campaign kickoff speech last night. He presented the idea of a regional transit authority as if it was his own idea and something the city is failing on. He failed to mention all Mayor Cornett's work with ACOG and the mayors of the surrounding communities to do this very thing. Ommitting the facts is as dishonest as misrepresenting them. Stopping the streetcar, which I guarantee is his plan if his convention center ploy works, is absolutely the wrong thing to do if he cares about improving transit.

For those who are interested in the truth, there's going to be a webinar on this subject next week:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/centralokgo-central-oklahoma-commuter-corridors-study-webinar-registration-10084183063?utm_campaign=order_confirm&ref=eemailordconf&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eb_email&utm_term=eventname

Not sure where to put this but Lubbock is planning a monorail system to run from downtown to Tech to encourage Tech students to live downtown.

Texas Tech to downtown monorail could more than a daydream for Lubbock, McDougal says | Lubbock Online Mobile Edition (http://m.lubbockonline.com/local-news/2014-01-04/texas-tech-downtown-monorail-could-more-daydream-lubbock-mcdougal-says)

I love the idea of connecting downtown Lubbock and the University but you can always tell the people who are new to fixed-guideway mass transit as they seem to always start out with a monorail (usually because they just came back from Disney World). Just keep it simple and build what has been working for 150 years; a streetcar running on some track in the ground powered with electricity from an over-head wire. Why does everyone always try to reinvent the wheel?

Please join OKC Streetcar here to show your support and receive updates on the project- www.facebook.com/pages/Oklahoma-City-Streetcar

Please join OKC Streetcar here to show your support and receive updates on the project- www.facebook.com/pages/Oklahoma-City-Streetcar

Just a heads up, clicking on your link took me to a "Page Not Found" holder. This is the link that pops up for me when I searched it: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oklahoma-City-Streetcar/203749819767937