For years now, we in OKC have been wedded to the plan to relocate I-40 several blocks to the South and replace much of the existing I-40 with an at grade boulevard. “The D Option”. The process by which the overall design was arrived at was bathed in an aura of public input. And, there was considerable public input, press releases, copies of plans distributed, models displayed etc. But many of the facts that have come to light in the past few years as ODOT, OKC and The US Congress wrangled with the financing of this very expensive five miles of highway, were not disclosed or publicly discussed

What is becoming more and more clear, in my feeble mind at least, is that although this new stretch of roadway will remove most of the present I-40 eyesore and allow downtown to expand nicely to the south, the current design will require that a very functional railyard, that would be the envy of Dallas, Denver and Salt Lake City will be destroyed. And, in the process, the opportunity to easily and inexpensively develop a first rate urban transportation system with Union Station as its hub will be lost. The Union Station and its associated multi track railyard could form a transportation hub for light rail, heavy rail, street cars, busses, taxies etc. with existing rail links to Will Rogers Airport, The OKC Zoo area and much more.

When I-40 first hit the drawing boards several years ago, MAPS was only a twinkle in Mayor Norick's eye and only the homeless lived in Downtown OKC. In 2005 we see a major urban revitilization well under way and thousands of OKCityians will take up residnece downtown over the next few years. The game has changed. The need for a more diverse and effective urban transportaion system is now becoming a topic for discussion and OKC DOT is doing a new study. But the door to the Hub, Union Station, will soon be closed and locked. The Union Station building will remain, but the rail yard will be only a memory.

One of the most knowledgable and articulate individuals on the subject of transportation in general and rail transportation in particular, living in Oklahoma City, or anywhere for that matter, has to be Tom Elmore. Tom is sometimes way over the top but his case for Union Station and what its loss will mean to the future urban growth of OKC is right on target. Tom can be heard on AM 1520 tomorrow morning beginning at 7AM. Below is a copy of the text from an e-mail from him letting me know about the upcoming broadcast. I guarantee that it will be interesting and informative. Tune in and join in.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From Tom Elmore:

I'm scheduled to appear on KOKC Radio's Steve Summers show tomorrow morning at 7:00 am. KOKC is at 1520 AM, formerly known as KOMA. The plan is to discuss the future of Union Station, transit and the "New Crosstown."

In preparation for the show the host accompanied me on a tour of Union Station yesterday morning. As we walked down the ramp into the passenger tunnels, three guys with Poe and Associates were walking out. Undoubtedly, they were down there plotting the destruction of the tunnels.

We further noticed that behind the station the path of the highway appears to be staked. The stakes have yellow marker ribbons with elevations written on them.

I don't know the exact portent of all that, as to a time frame for ODOT's intended destruction. I wouldn't be surprised to find the ODOT folks straining every nerve and every available dollar to do as much damage as possible as quickly as possible thinking "that'll end the argument." After all, the current Crosstown deck needs an asphalt overlay to stabilize it for interim use, and I don't think they're gonna do that until they believe they've shut the detractors up once and for all. Leaving the Crosstown deck as it is now offers the prospect for "media events" occasioned by the predictable falling chunks of concrete. Not particularly dangerous, but valuable in convincing the public that it's all "about to fall down" -- part of the big lie that is Oklahoma's own "Little Big Dig," the "New Crosstown project."

Listen in tomorrow morning if you can.

TOM ELMORE