Streetcar

[gopokes88]

I think anything along the streetcar line is going to explode development wise. Has the simple advantage of road+streetcar versus just road. Tourists are going to love it, will provide a decent baseload of ridership. As it becomes a thing over the years locals will use it more and more.

[shawnw]

At a recent embark public meeting, the concern about people riding the bus all day long to stay warm and sheltered was brought up. There was mention of some policy tweaks forthcoming to possibly address this. We'll see how it goes.

[catch22]

At a recent embark public meeting, the concern about people riding the bus all day long to stay warm and sheltered was brought up. There was mention of some policy tweaks forthcoming to possibly address this. We'll see how it goes.

What kind of policy changes were discussed?

[shawnw]

Embark didn't go into specifics, just mentioned they were looking at making policy adjustments.

[catch22]

Embark didn't go into specifics, just mentioned they were looking at making policy adjustments.

Gotcha, thanks. I have never ridden the bus in OKC, are the fares time based or distance based?

Not sure of really how they can enforce, it was a problem in Portland on the MAX light rail. But was one of those issues that was difficult to enforce. You can write all the transit tickets you want but someone who doesn't have the money to pay won't pay, and may even welcome a trip to jail for a few days to get a shower and warm place to stay for the night. It just creates a criminal out of someone who otherwise wasn't harming anyone.

[shawnw]

Agreed it's going to be hard to enforce. Fares are not based on time or distance presently. What folks do is, they get a day pass for $4, and they get on the longest route they can find (I hear it's a big problem on the 14 and 15 routes) and they ride it until someone makes them get off, and then they find another route to ride with that day pass.

(I mostly ride the 10 and 50, sometimes the 5 and the 23)

[David]

A new construction update video has been posted to the OKC YouTube channel:

[gopokes88]

My cousin was in town this weekend wanting to do tourist stuff. We saw some of the construction going on and she asked about it. I explained it. She thought it was the coolest thing ever.

This will be big for visitors.

[Richard at Remax]

Sorry if this has been answered but looking at construction down Reno yesterday it looks like the track is going to take up the whole westbound right lane. Will cars be able to drive on this when train isn't there or will it always be blocked off and only the train will be use it?

[d-usa]

Sorry if this has been answered but looking at construction down Reno yesterday it looks like the track is going to take up the whole westbound right lane. Will cars be able to drive on this when train isn't there or will it always be blocked off and only the train will be use it?

For traffic purposes the streetcar is pretty much the same as a bus, and they share the lane with traffic. At least that is my understanding.

[catch22]

For traffic purposes the streetcar is pretty much the same as a bus, and they share the lane with traffic. At least that is my understanding.

Correct you can drive on the rails. There may be certain areas where it has its own protected lane in high pedestrian traffic areas. I think in front of the Maps 3 park is one of those areas.

[Montreal]

It's a real shame the streetcar won't have dedicated ROW across the majority of its route. Reno would be perfect for that since it should go on a road diet with the Boulevard coming online.

[shawnw]

But then it wouldn't be a streetcar, it'd be a ROWcar :-P

[TheTravellers]

It's a real shame the streetcar won't have dedicated ROW across the majority of its route. Reno would be perfect for that since it should go on a road diet with the Boulevard coming online.

What are the advantages of dedicated ROW if the streetcars are going to have traffic signal prioritization?

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^
Signal prioritization helps, but without dedicated ROW the streetcar could still get stuck behind vehicles turning left, for instance, or in gridlocked Saturday night traffic in Bricktown or Midtown, or behind a plodding horse carriage. Regarding the last item, I believe OCPD and the City are taking actions to essentially ban carriages from the streetcar route and compel them to stick to streets without tracks.

[shawnw]

sweet baby jeebus, thank goodness for fewer carriages on major thoroughfares

[TheTravellers]

^^^^^^^
Signal prioritization helps, but without dedicated ROW the streetcar could still get stuck behind vehicles turning left, for instance, or in gridlocked Saturday night traffic in Bricktown or Midtown, or behind a plodding horse carriage. Regarding the last item, I believe OCPD and the City are taking actions to essentially ban carriages from the streetcar route and compel them to stick to streets without tracks.

Hadn't thought about traffic jams, and apparently I haven't looked at the streetcar route closely enough because I assumed it would travel in the rightmost lane at all times, so the turning left problem wouldn't've occurred to me in a million years.

[shawnw]

Depending on where you start from, it will have to turn left from Broadway onto 11th, then from 11th, left onto Dewey, then from Dewey, left onto 10th. You don't make a left again until Sheridan (from Robinson), then from Reno onto Gaylord. Lastly to get onto Broadway from 4th it's a left.

[Richard at Remax]

Thanks for the answers. So depending on the time of day it could very inefficient going short distances. Might be better off walking.

[Montreal]

^^^^^^^
Signal prioritization helps, but without dedicated ROW the streetcar could still get stuck behind vehicles turning left, for instance, or in gridlocked Saturday night traffic in Bricktown or Midtown, or behind a plodding horse carriage. Regarding the last item, I believe OCPD and the City are taking actions to essentially ban carriages from the streetcar route and compel them to stick to streets without tracks.

Exactly. And if you can't get somewhere faster/more comfortably on transit than other options, there's not much incentive to prioritize it over other options like driving.

[LocoAko]

FWIW.

http://newsok.com/article/5551386?ut...twitter_newsok

Streetcar stop names:

Myriad Gardens
Library
Transit Center
Federal Courthouse
Broadway Avenue
Automobile Alley
Campbell Art Park
North Hudson
Dewey Avenue
Midtown
NW 10th Street
Law School
Memorial Museum
Business District
Century Center
Bricktown
Mickey Mantle
East Bricktown
Ballpark
Santa Fe Hub
Arena
The final stop, as yet unnamed, will be along the Oklahoma City Boulevard near the MAPS 3 convention center complex and across the boulevard from the MAPS 3 downtown park.

This aren't complaints per se, but it seems a bit odd that they'd include the full street name (...Street, ...Ave) for some street locations (NW 10th, Broadway) and not for others (North Hudson, Mickey Mantle). The stops named after destinations seem fine though a bit vague for some ("Arena"? "Law School"? "Ballpark"?). Thoughts?

[d-usa]

Maybe a limit to how many characters can be used to name each stop? For signage and such.

[Decious]

Little to zero Sunday service...

http://m.newsok.com/article/5551449

[soonerguru]

Little to zero Sunday service...

http://m.newsok.com/article/5551449

This is a total outrage. Setting this up to fail. Very disappointed.

[TheTravellers]

Totally absurd to have no/little Sunday service, both days of the weekend should be absolutely essential to run on!