Streetcar

[Laramie]

Nobody rides the busses, very few will ride the streetcars.

Huge waste of money. We could've rented limo's to cart people around for 10 years for what we are paying for this debacle.

Buses provide a great service for our city; wouldn't compare it to the targeted small area streetcar route. Definitely understand your view from an economic standpoint. Magic's Immune System, how important is your immune system; are you cutting costs (vitamins, nutrients, food...)?

Many had this view about our original MAPS' initiative which helped jump-start OKC. The streetcar will be a cumulative investment added to the many amenities our city offers--Bennett Events Center, Riversport Rapids, new Convention Center and others. As I mentioned to a neighbor this morning who I took to a job interview (his car wouldn't start); you've got to invest in clothes/transit--because that initial impression will determine how competitive you are in landing a new job, how you feel about yourself and the impression you make on the interviewer.

Cities have to make themselves attractive if they are to be considered for bringing new businesses to the area; everything is not going to turn a profit--the competitiveness among cities have reached a new height. Can OKC get in the game...

[KayneMo]

Nobody rides the busses, very few will ride the streetcars.

Huge waste of money. We could've rented limo's to cart people around for 10 years for what we are paying for this debacle.

Bus ridership in FY2015 was 3,086,000.

https://embarkok.com/assets/files/me...tiveReport.pdf

[Laramie]

Bus ridership in FY2015 was 3,086,000.

https://embarkok.com/assets/files/me...tiveReport.pdf

Although it does appear bus ridership is low; it does address the fact that OKC needs the system to provide for those who don't have automobile transportation. You don't discard the buses because of low ridership; you tweak it for maximum proficiency. The numbers reflect growth. If you've ever had to depend on the bus; expect 30-45 minute wait periods.

Thanks for that info KayneMO:

2013: 2,812,122
2014: 2,833,909
2015: 3,085,663

OKC Embark bus system have made adjustments to improve ridership for a very wide service area.

[baralheia]

Nobody rides the busses, very few will ride the streetcars.

Huge waste of money. We could've rented limo's to cart people around for 10 years for what we are paying for this debacle.

It's not about "getting it". Believe it or not, not everyone in OKC is an idiot. It's all about value. Cities that need and use mass transit, are very densely populated, and most people don't have a car. The streetcar can only take you a few blocks, and doesn't save any time. Quicker, and easier to take your car, or just walk.

They tried trolleys to bricktown from downtown. Nobody used them.

Regarding your argument: That ship's sailed, dude. Years ago. We've now got this additional mode of public transit, for better or worse. If you don't want it to be a huge debacle, do what you can to support it. Ride it and try it on a busy weekend. We'll know in a year or so, once the newness of the system wears off, whether or not the investment was sound. I personally think the streetcar will be successful.

Also, the Streetcar will take you a lot farther than "a few blocks"; the two farthest stations are about a mile and a half apart as the crow flies; by street miles, they're just about 2 miles apart. As far as transit time, according to the 32nd slide of this presentation to the American Public Transportation Association, the target transit time around the entire D-line loop (through Bricktown, Downtown, and Midtown) is 35 minutes. If you decided to walk from the East Bricktown stop (at Russel M Perry & E California) to the Dewey Ave stop (on N Dewey between NW 10th and NW 11th st), it would take you 36 minutes according to Google Maps. The Streetcar will get you there in half the time vs walking. Sure, you could get a Lyft or Uber that would get you there in just about 10 minutes... but that'll cost $6 to $10 (or more, depending on service and time of day); The streetcar will get you there for just $1.

[ChowRunner]

Link to volunteer https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0...4f94-volunteer

[GoldFire]

I just realized I posted this in the wrong thread the other day. I've noticed the frequency of tests has really picked up the last few weeks. Here was one going by on the NW corner of the Myriad Gardens.

[Pete]

^

Yes, they have all the cars now and they are testing all of them.

This week they notified everyone they were going to run the clearance trolley on the whole loop to identify trees that need trimming or any other obstacles.

With the Bricktown Loop, once that happened the trains started to roll not long after.

It really shouldn't be much longer before the entire system is operational.

[Magic's Immune System]

Bus ridership in FY2015 was 3,086,000.

https://embarkok.com/assets/files/me...tiveReport.pdf

That may be the number they report, but I see several busses a day, and they almost entirely empty. Maybe they need smaller or fewer busses.

[Magic's Immune System]

Regarding your argument: That ship's sailed, dude. Years ago. We've now got this additional mode of public transit, for better or worse. If you don't want it to be a huge debacle, do what you can to support it. Ride it and try it on a busy weekend.

Why should I pay to ride or to support something that the fiscally ignorant dreamers pushed through? Any logical person could see this was a huge waste of money.

[Pete]

Not that it will make a big difference to some, but there is a good chance the streetcar will be free to ride, at least for a while.

[shawnw]

All streetcar track will be done in about a month. In addition to the ribbon cutting on the 14, that whole weekend will be a 3-day grand opening event of some kind. Also of note, the light going in at 11th will be a streetcar only light that will only turn red (for cars) when the streetcar needs to turn left across both directions of traffic to go down 11th.

[PaddyShack]

All streetcar track will be done in about a month. In addition to the ribbon cutting on the 14, that whole weekend will be a 3-day grand opening event of some kind. Also of note, the light going in at 11th will be a streetcar only light that will only turn red (for cars) when the streetcar needs to turn left across both directions of traffic to go down 11th.

I found these to be quite common along the streetcar routes in Vienna. They work very well with traffic flow and making sure streetcars get into traffic to stay on time.

[Magic's Immune System]

the target transit time around the entire D-line loop (through Bricktown, Downtown, and Midtown) is 35 minutes.

Wow, that's even worse than I thought. I could drive it in 10 minutes.

[TheTravellers]

Why should I pay to ride or to support something that the fiscally ignorant dreamers pushed through? Any logical person could see this was a huge waste of money.

You don't really understand public transit, do you?

[hfry]

Wow, that's even worse than I thought. I could drive it in 10 minutes.

Are you really adding anything to the discussion here? We get it, you don't like it, thankfully you don't have to ride it. Problem solved. Spare us the petty remarks on all these threads.

[gopokes88]

I’m pretty excited to try it. Maybe get a bite to eat in midtown or AA and jump on and ride to a thunder game.

[dankrutka]

Nobody rides the busses...

This is a very classist remark that dismisses how many citizens rely on bus services for their livelihoods.

[baralheia]

^

Yes, they have all the cars now and they are testing all of them.

This week they notified everyone they were going to run the clearance trolley on the whole loop to identify trees that need trimming or any other obstacles.

With the Bricktown Loop, once that happened the trains started to roll not long after.

It really shouldn't be much longer before the entire system is operational.

Did Car 201807 arrive already? Last I had heard it wasn't expected until early October.

[dankrutka]

Why should I pay to ride or to support something that the fiscally ignorant dreamers pushed through? Any logical person could see this was a huge waste of money.

What is the purpose of your comments? Do you think insulting people with whom you disagree and proclaiming your own knowledge as complete and correct is a useful way to engage in discussions about public issues? If you already know all the answers, why even post on a message board?

[baralheia]

Wow, that's even worse than I thought. I could drive it in 10 minutes.

Uh... Even a direct, point to point route from the two stops farthest apart would take a minimum of 18 minutes to drive between, round trip; this does not take traffic into account. Here's the proof from Google Maps.

[Ross MacLochness]

Uh... Even a direct, point to point route from the two stops farthest apart would take a minimum of 18 minutes to drive between, round trip; this does not take traffic into account. Here's the proof from Google Maps.

Or the amount of time it would take to walk to wherever your car is parked, get out of the garage/lot, then find parking (and pay for it) and then walk to your destination.

[Laramie]

Streetcar is a good investment; OKC's finance method (MAPS) will give us a debt free streetcar system where fares will help with operational costs. Hope there will be some ozone alert free rides as with Embark's buses. We'll have more information on charting its success after the newness wears off. More excited about the development potentials the streetcar route possesses.

[PaddyShack]

I really wish there were park-n-ride lots on the outer most edges of the Embark system, then I could start to utilize the full system.

[shawnw]

Technically you could park at the outlet mall and ride the 38 in.

(thought you were coming from Yukon but might have been someone else)

[PaddyShack]

Technically you could park at the outlet mall and ride the 38 in.

(thought you were coming from Yukon but might have been someone else)

I have thought about doing this, but just not sure if the Outlets would take offense.