Streetcar

[dcsooner]

If $1 is all that stops someone from riding then they didn’t really want to anyway. It’s not like asking $10. Its A DOLLAR.

My point exactly

[TeeDub2]

Saw this while leaving work over by OCU law!

[dankrutka]

If $1 is all that stops someone from riding then they didn’t really want to anyway. It’s not like asking $10. Its A DOLLAR.

You might want to re-read my post. I specifically said it's not the $1 that will stop someone from riding.

Edit: Saw after posting that everyone already pointed this out.

[dankrutka]

I feel like starting a betting pool on how many different responses dankrutka is going to get that completely miss the point of his comments about free versus a cost.

If you pay attention to this board, the same posters do this over and over again. They either argue with straw men they've created (e.g., "you all are anti-progress," "you can't take any criticism about OKC") or just fail to comprehend and respond to posts (see this thread) instead of joining in the conversations with everyone else. They react instead of respond. This has been happening with the same few posters for years.

[dankrutka]

Saw this while leaving work over by OCU law!

Aside from discussions over the logistics of the streetcar, it really is exciting to see the stops in place. They really go a long way to create a sense of place. It's going to be fascinating to see what developments the streetcar spurs. The biggest benefit to this limited line will be living/working next to a stop. It's going to be valuable property.

[Plutonic Panda]

If you pay attention to this board, the same posters do this over and over again. They either argue with straw men they've created (e.g., "you all are anti-progress," "you can't take any criticism about OKC") or just fail to comprehend and respond to posts (see this thread) instead of joining in the conversations with everyone else. They react instead of respond. This has been happening with the same few posters for years.

This board does a have a problem with taking criticism and I will continue to point that out in the future. It isn’t a straw man. It’s a fact. The real lie is when I’m called out for always being negative or that I hate OKC, which is NOT true.

[dankrutka]

This board does a have a problem with taking criticism and I will continue to point that out in the future. It isn’t a straw man. It’s a fact. The real lie is when I’m called out for always being negative or that I hate OKC, which is NOT true.

You make good contributions to this board so I am not trying to dismiss you or your contributions. However, your claim that the board in general can't take criticism is opposed by overwhelming amounts of evidence. You only say that when people disagree with your opinion, which you often like to call "a fact." Have you ever read the critiques of development proposals on this board? Proposals regularly get roundly criticized for a variety of reasons. I spent months criticizing Oklahoma's education shortcomings and I can think of a ton critiques of things that could be better. Recently, I chimed in on the shortcomings of Chisholm Creek. I could go on and on. It's just when people disagree with you bring out that strawman. If you want to argue with some nuance that the board should be more critical then that's fine, but it is not "a fact." It's your opinion and there's plenty of evidence to suggest you're overgeneralizing and/or inaccurate.

[Plutonic Panda]

You make good contributions to this board so I am not trying to dismiss you or your contributions. However, your claim that the board in general can't take criticism is opposed by overwhelming amounts of evidence. You only say that when people disagree with your opinion, which you often like to call "a fact." Have you ever read the critiques of development proposals on this board? Proposals regularly get roundly criticized for a variety of reasons. I spent months criticizing Oklahoma's education shortcomings and I can think of a ton critiques of things that could be better. Recently, I chimed in on the shortcomings of Chisholm Creek. I could go on and on. It's just when people disagree with you bring out that strawman. If you want to argue with some nuance that the board should be more critical then that's fine, but it is not "a fact." It's your opinion and there's plenty of evidence to suggest you're overgeneralizing and/or inaccurate.

I'm not trying to play victim here and you are right, sometimes I do pass off opinions I have stating them as more factual which I need to stop and better explain my position. That being said, nearly every time I critique OKC, there are a select group of posters that jump on me as if I never say anything positive. I can take it so I'm not trippin, but it does get annoying sometimes when I'm made to be the bad guy who hates OKC.

[dankrutka]

I actually don't think your reputation on the board is as an OKC-hater. I think your brand is the cloverleaf interchange/highway guy. Lol. While I generally disagree, I enjoy the different perspective even if I state that I disagree.

I think a lot of us actually post here to discuss how to make OKC better, which involves criticism. This board is filled with constructive criticism maybe more than any other space online, which is why I come back. There's a lot of learning going on here.

[Urbanized]

Just received this via e-mail:

Good afternoon,

Now that track construction is complete in Bricktown, testing will begin. On Monday, May 21, a clearance cart will go around the B Line checking for trees that may need to be trimmed. If this original test goes as planned, a truck will tow an actual streetcar vehicle around the B Line on Thursday, May 24 between 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
We will also start testing the pantograph by using a pantograph cart. The pantograph is what connects to the overhead power lines to power the streetcar when it is not on battery. This test will take place on Tuesday, May 22. Please let [sender] know if you have any questions.

If you will be parallel parking on Sheridan in Bricktown during testing, please pay attention to the white line. Your vehicle, including mirrors, needs to be fully inside the line to avoid bumps, scrapes or any kind of damage. If your vehicle is not parked completely inside the line, it is subject to being towed.

There were also photos of the clearance cart and pantograph testing.

[shawnw]

https://mailchi.mp/adgokc/maps-3-str...update-2698005

[shawnw]

If you don't regularly check out the streetcar social media, you should go take a look. They posted videos and pics from testing last night. Happened to walk by it on the way home from Bricktown and it was neat stuff....

[Anonymous.]

Yea it looked awesome out there, even if it was being pulled by a truck!

[CCOKC]

If you don't regularly check out the streetcar social media, you should go take a look. They posted videos and pics from testing last night. Happened to walk by it on the way home from Bricktown and it was neat stuff....

What time did you see the testing? I walked from my apartment at Kerr and Walker to Bricktown and back and didn't see anything. I got home about 9:30. I am guessing it happened after that.

[shawnw]

Timestamp on the pictures on my phone are 12:44am. I had a late dinner in Bricktown and then caught the 10:15pm screening of Solo before walking home.

[d-usa]

So it looks like Sunday bus service is in the new city budget?

[catch22]

So it looks like Sunday bus service is in the new city budget?

Yes but I don’t think streetcar is.

[dankrutka]

Yes but I don’t think streetcar is.

Maybe not in the budget, but they might be able to find sponsors to help fund Sunday service, right? An argument against streetcar Sunday service was that there should first be Sunday bus service. I completely agree with this logic, by the way. Sunday bus service is a huge win in itself, but hopefully it leads to a Sunday streetcar solution too.

[d-usa]

That’s what I was thinking. It doesn’t fund Sunday streetcar service, but it does remove one of the bigger arguments frequently raised against Sunday service.

[catch22]

Maybe not in the budget, but they might be able to find sponsors to help fund Sunday service, right? An argument against streetcar Sunday service was that there should first be Sunday bus service. I completely agree with this logic, by the way. Sunday bus service is a huge win in itself, but hopefully it leads to a Sunday streetcar solution too.

I think the political strategy is to not fund Sunday streetcar service until the buses actually start operating on sundays. In the meantime I think there’s an active discussion amongst downtown businesses and associations to fund it privately in the meantime.

[TheTravellers]

I believe Sunday bus service before Sunday streetcar service was not just a matter of "it should be that way", but I read there was a possibility of Title VI lawsuits if Sunday streetcar service was started before Sunday bus service (nondoc or okpolicy maybe).

[PaddyShack]

Sorry if it has been hashed out up thread, but what were the reasons Embark didn't have Sunday service to begin with?

[JMoses3318]

I believe Sunday bus service before Sunday streetcar service was not just a matter of "it should be that way", but I read there was a possibility of Title VI lawsuits if Sunday streetcar service was started before Sunday bus service (nondoc or okpolicy maybe).

I was in the council meeting on Tuesday and can address this.

1) Councilman Shadid stated that, had OKC not budgeted for Sunday bus service, a Title VI lawsuit would have been a "slam dunk" loss for OKC. He still feels as though there is more work to do to make the entire transit system equitable (such as better amenities for bus riders).

2) There was Embark Link service for a period of time until August 2016. It had to be discontinued because it was not sustainable.

[Bellaboo]

Was in Midtown this morning. Where they are laying the line, where the tracks are set but the concrete has not been placed, there was a small toyota stranded sideways on those tracks. Will be hell trying to get it out.

[baralheia]

Sorry if it has been hashed out up thread, but what were the reasons Embark didn't have Sunday service to begin with?

To the best of my knowledge, the City has never provided Sunday bus service (outside of the Link service) since COTPA was established in 1966, when the private Oklahoma Transportation Company ceased operations. I *think* OTC offered Sunday service but I can't find much info on it.