Everyone else is starting more mass transit threads, why not one more:



A starting point for public transit

High gasoline prices have Kirk Humphreys more bullish than ever when it comes to development in the inner city.
As mayor, Humphreys was the skeptic who had a hard time visualizing a time when Oklahomans might give up their cars. As reported previously, he asked one acquaintance when he might consider depending on light rail or public transportation. The answer? When gas hits $4 a gallon.

Well, that's happened. But Humphreys, back in the development game, is still skeptical as to whether people are any closer to giving up their cars. He sees another dynamic at work — one that he thinks will boost downtown development.
By locating downtown, Humphreys argues, one has access to all government services, the city's finest entertainment and dining options and one area of town where sidewalks can be found along every street.

And of course downtown and the adjoining Oklahoma Health Center are home to a work force of at least 52,400. Yet if one counts every apartment and condominium built the past few years, and those announced but not built, downtown is seeing about 1,000 new residences. I've met at least a couple dozen of the people buying and renting these new homes, and many of them are either empty nesters or young professionals who decided to live downtown for just the urban experience, and not in connection with where they work.

Consider yet another Humphreys acquaintance who until recently was commuting to his job in Oklahoma City from Ada. This individual has now switched to a job in Ada. That's proof to Humphreys that the higher gas prices are forcing people to make different choices.

‘Get used to walking'
Humphreys, who is teaming up with his son Grant on a mixed-use development for the former Downtown Airpark, is now an advocate for either a light rail system or bus rapid transit system. His advice: start out small with a system that will draw the heaviest use serving the inner city.
"I'm not convinced it should be a downtown circulator (as has been discussed in various planning circles),” Humphreys said.

"You can't have something that goes to every door. Make it a set of straight lines — one going along Broadway, maybe another going along Robinson. People are going to need to get used to walking a few blocks.”

From there, Humphreys explains, the city ends up with a win-win: a booming urban core and a good starting point for establishing modern public transit for all of Oklahoma City.