New Bus Transfer Station Open

[Patrick]

Well, the new state of the art bus transfer station opened today. For years now, ever since the old bus terminal was torn down at the Ford Center site, people waiting for their transfer route have waited in a parking lot outside of the Oklahoma County Jail. This new transfer station has covered loading areas, and an indoor air conditioned building for those waiting for their connection to wait in comfort. For months now, I've watched the building of this facility and have been amazed with it's appearance. It's great to see an improvement made to ouyr bus service! Now if we could only created substations in the city, we'd have it made! If you live near Penn Squre Mall and want to get to Qauil Springs you have to go downtown first. I've always thought that was stupid! We need substations in each quadrant of the city.

Here's a pic:



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Downtown bus passengers now wait in comfort


By Steve Lackmeyer
The Oklahoman

Passengers accustomed to waiting for their bus in the heat instead enjoyed the air conditioned comfort Monday of MetroTransit's new downtown transit center.
The new $6.2 million terminal opened just in time for Doran Gothard, who has had his own bouts with heat stroke and never liked waiting for a bus in the parking lot that had served as a temporary transfer point since 1999.

"The heat was terrible," Gothard said. "This is a billion percent better. You don't have winos bothering you."

Another passenger, Jim Duncan, said he, too, noticed that "trouble-makers" were staying away from the new center, which is staffed with a full-time security officer and an information clerk. The new building at Robert S. Kerr Avenue and NW 4 also features security cameras.

The center is within 2½ blocks of 4 million square feet of downtown office space, and is within walking distance of federal, county and city offices.

There's a fully staffed lobby with rest rooms and vending machines. Other improvements include maps, brochures and an express lane for downtown trolleys.

MetroTransit spokeswoman Amy Ford said Monday's opening had no major glitches.

For Gothard and fellow passenger Victoria Love, the anticipation sometimes bordered on disbelief the new center would ever open. The last permanent transfer site at Reno Avenue and E.K Gaylord, was demolished in 1999 to make way for the Ford Center.

The transfer center then went through years of delays.

"Sometimes, you really had to wonder," said Gothard, a passenger since 1995.

[mranderson]

We need more transfer stations. A great location would be the former JC Penney/Firestone Auto Center at Crossroads. Plus, Quail has plenty of land.

Any other suggestions?

[Patrick]

We need transfer stations in each of the four quadrants of the city. Maybe one at Quail to cover NW OKC, one at Crossroads to cover SE OKC, one near the airport to cover SW OKC, and one near the zoo to cover the NE side of town. Then we can have transfer stations at each of the major suburbs....the Moore/Norman area, the Yukon/Mustang area, the MWC/DC area, and the Edmond area.

[mranderson]

Moore-Norman could be near the Mile of cars. Edmond could be near 33 and Kelley, and Yukon could be near I-44 and Garth Brooks. Mid-Del near Tinker on se 29.

Then we would be near the big leagues as most major cities have many park and ride locations.

[Patrick]

Maybe the Edmond one could be built where the Wal-Mart currently is at 33rd and Broadway. I believe that Wal-Mart will be closed once the new Supercenter is built on the east side of Edmond. Yeah, the Yukon one could be built there next to the Lowes strip center! And there's plenty of open land in MWC there on SE 29th next to David Stanley.