High-speed Railway from OKC to Tulsa
About 5 years ago there was alot of talk in the state legislature about a high-speed rail system between Tulsa and OKC. I'll repost the article from a few years ago below. Has anyone heard anything about if this project is taking off?
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 3) – Travelers may be able to zoom between Oklahoma City and Tulsa at speeds between 125 and 150 miles per hour if a proposed high-speed rail service connecting the cities is approved.
During a joint meeting of both the House and Senate Transportation Committees, legislators evaluated the cost and feasibility of implementing high speed rail service between the state’s two largest cities. Rep. Mike Tyler, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said Oklahoma can’t afford not to get on board.
“High-speed rail is an absolute necessity for Oklahoma to stay competitive,” the Sapulpa Democrat said. “Economically, we need to have a mass transit system between these two cities.”
Tyler said a feasibility study identified a need for a passenger rail connection between the state’s two largest economic centers. The challenge is for the connection to be competitive with automobile travel time. According to the Department of Transportation, present automobile travel time from Oklahoma City to Tulsa via the Turner Turnpike is approximately one hour and 45 minutes under favorable conditions. Travel time forecasts for high-speed rail are just over an hour.
Tyler said the rail service would be especially attractive to business travelers who could utilize the travel time and still make the trip in the same or less amount of time. “The Turner Turnpike is getting more crowded and is one of the most heavily traveled corridors – especially among business travelers.”
The high-speed connection is equally important from a tourism standpoint, Tyler said. The original study determined that a route between Oklahoma City and Tulsa would have potential for service throughout southwest corridors, including service through to Kansas City. “Oklahoma City and Tulsa could become a hub to other locations, bringing tourists and travelers in from other areas while serving the many people who travel frequently inside the state.”
Sen. Dave Herbert, D-Midwest City, said Oklahoma has already proved that there is a demand for rail service. The Heartland Flyer, a railway between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City, began operation in June 1999. Herbert said the route has performed beyond expectations. “The projection was that the service would have 20,000 passengers but it is averaging 60,000. It is one of the best performing routes in the nation.”
Tyler said that about five years ago the state purchased a rail between Oklahoma City and Tulsa with the anticipation of one day using it. The current rail would need major upgrades to be suitable for the 125 to 150 mile per hour speeds the train would travel. Members of the legislative transportation committees are studying several alternative corridor paths. Depending on what route and the type of train selected, the travel time for the rail service could range between 55 to 69 minutes and cost between $800 million to $950 million.
Tyler said the state would have to shoulder very little of the cost. He said that while different funding sources are being studied, one revenue stream would be a one-cent gasoline sales tax to be assessed for 10 years, generating a total of $180 million.
Herbert said the state is trying to attract federal dollars for the project and should be able to secure 80 percent of the cost from federal matching funds. “We could have a $1 billion project in our state for very little cost to taxpayers,” he said.
Both legislators said that it will ultimately come down to a vote of the people. Herbert said the committee’s goal is to get the issue on the ballot this November.
Originally Posted by Oh GAWD the Smell!
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