OKC mass transit announcement!!

[PLANSIT]

Not trying to split hairs, but the logo/graphic is Modern Streetcar, not LRT. And the proposed DT Circulator is not LRT, it is Modern Streetcar.

[soonerguru]

Bryan Dean and I have both written repeatedly about discussions to create a downtown light rail circulator system. Of course, if you don't read The Oklahoman, you might have missed those stories, especially if someone forgot to copy and paste them on OKC Talk.

Wow. That sounds really snotty. And I read the Oklahoman just about every day.

[Steve]

Sooner, forgive me. Just cranky tonight. A particular online person who copies and pastes my stuff as often as others drink water has belittled myself and my profession repeatedly today and I'm just not filtering as well as usual. I've tried to address it with this person in private, but with no real long-lasting results. I'm going to finish my story and log off for the night. I'll return when I'm a happy camper again.

[soonerguru]

No harm, no foul.

[wsucougz]

Not trying to split hairs, but the logo/graphic is Modern Streetcar, not LRT. And the proposed DT Circulator is not LRT, it is Modern Streetcar.

Thank god - light rail strikes me as overkill right now. A streetcar is a good start and, imo, will be a hit.

[metro]

Correct it is modern streetcar. I've seen the renderings and you all will be impressed. I understand this as the first REAL plan to get reliable mass transit off the ground. Why don't you all judge for yourselves around midnight when the site launches. Stay tuned!!

[Pete]

Looks very cool!

I agree that a CBD / Bricktown / Capitol / OUHSC / Midtown / Mesta Park / OK River circular would do wonders for helping to create a critical mass in the inner core and launching mass transit that people might actually use.

Look forward to more details.

[hipsterdoofus]

Maybe this will be as successful as the gas guzzler trollies that drive around empty all day ;-)

[soonerguru]

I really hope our city leaders don't let us down this time. This is the best time in memory for a project like this. It is popular with the citizens, it has worked in other cities, and it would catapult the city's image and crystallize the "big league" talk.

Let's hope the politicians who run things here don't choke and leave some of this out of MAPS. I don't know all of the plans but the citizens, when given the choice, said they wanted TRANSIT over everything else: Central Park, Core to Shore, Convention Center, roads, etc.

This cannot be overstated. The citizens have made it clear to our city leaders that they want improved TRANSIT -- over everything else.

Let's respectfully hold our city leadership accountable to the citizens of this growing city.

[Steve]

Based on what I'm hearing, if you really want to see transit on a MAPS 3 ballot, you will need to take extraordinary steps to make voices heard over those of competing interests. Are you willing to appear before council in the citizen's comment period after the agenda is completed? Are you willing to write or phone your council person? Are you willing to get others to do the same thing? Are you willing to make the case that this is more important than the exhibit hall proposed for State Fair Park or improvements along the river or the convention center or the Core to Shore park?

[soonerguru]

Maybe this will be as successful as the gas guzzler trollies that drive around empty all day ;-)

What a dumb comment. I hope you're just joking. Those "trollies" were designed for failure. They are not "transit" options. If you've ever tried to use those things as a functional form of transportation you might consider gouging out your own eyeballs.

It's apples and oranges.

Please consider that there are people who actually know how to deliver ridership and solutions for transit users.

This is a city of a million people, bigger than many cities that have successfully provided transit solutions for their citizens.

Transit in OKC has been poorly funded and designed for failure, or, in the case of the "trollies," treated as a novelty or amusement.

[ssandedoc]

I stand with Jeff Bezdek.

[soonerguru]

And I should note that OKC successfully provided a variety of transit options long ago in the past, so there's already a track record for success.

[metro]

Steves right if you want this you will need to be very vocal about this!!!

[CuatrodeMayo]

Based on what I'm hearing, if you really want to see transit on a MAPS 3 ballot, you will need to take extraordinary steps to make voices heard over those of competing interests. Are you willing to appear before council in the citizen's comment period after the agenda is completed? Are you willing to write or phone your council person? Are you willing to get others to do the same thing? Are you willing to make the case that this is more important than the exhibit hall proposed for State Fair Park or improvements along the river or the convention center or the Core to Shore park?

That indeed confirms my long-time fears...

[soonerguru]

That indeed confirms my long-time fears...

It's not at all too late. Remember, the mayor made a big production of the MAPS III website, and how citizens could vote on what they wanted.

The citizens responded by supporting TRANSIT like three to one over everything else.

Nothing has been decided yet. It's not too late.

[sroberts24]

i want to see this but don't think it is as important as core to shore or the river projects.... if we do those projects it will get more people here and then we will need street cars until then we need the other projects

[CuatrodeMayo]

It's not at all too late. Remember, the mayor made a big production of the MAPS III website, and how citizens could vote on what they wanted.

The citizens responded by supporting TRANSIT like three to one over everything else.

Nothing has been decided yet. It's not too late.

If the city decides they know better and MAPS3 goes the way of big business, the franchise will be officially broken.

I'll do my part and write a letter.

If mass transit falls off the MAPS3 horizon, that may be the boot I need to get out of this town.

[BPD]

I wait with baited breath

Sorry to sound pedantic, but I think you mean "bated breath" as in short for "abated."

[mecarr]

Sorry, but it's getting very, very old. I'm working another 10-hour day and I see my place trashed on here all the time by the same people who don't mind copying and pasting our stuff on this site for the benefit of everyone but those who toiled to create it. I think it's time newspapers start standing up for their work.

I know a lot of people who really don't like their editorial section, but I the news section is usually pretty good.

[dismayed]

So here's the real story for those who want to go beyond the hype: Jeff Bezdek is launching a web site that promotes including a downtown light rail circulator in MAPS 3. He's doing this after the push for transit in MAPS 3 lost momentum at the latest Greater OKC Chamber. Bezdek is an architect and downtown resident and advocate. I'm not sure if Bryan Dean has this story or not.
So are we any closer to getting a light rail system with this story? I'll leave it to you to decide if this is the most important story of the day.

Hi Steve, I'm sure I read your stories in The Oklahoman but my memory is not what it used to be. You mentioned that there was a lot of public support for light rail in MAPS 3, but then that lost momentum when it hit the OKC Chamber. I'm just wondering what the official reason that they gave for that was? I understand that there might be other things going on behind the scenes (there always are), but I'm just wondering how they publicly addressed the fact that their opinion was counter to what the public has been requesting?

[hipsterdoofus]

Thanks for your support there ... Why is it a dumb comment? The trollies were designed for failure, what makes you think our city leaders will do something more intelligent now? I don't think its dumb at all, just realistic - theres alot of pie in the sky people on here, and while its good to have dreams, it needs to be balanced with reality occasionally - the last idea I heard was about mass transit to bricktown...which doesn't seem like a very good idea if you are trying to do what mass transit SHOULD do, which is relieve congestion. I haven't heard any decent ideas yet, so yes, color me pessimistic and no, don't feel the need to reply since anything that isn't for this idea is certainly "dumb" to you.

What a dumb comment. I hope you're just joking. Those "trollies" were designed for failure. They are not "transit" options. If you've ever tried to use those things as a functional form of transportation you might consider gouging out your own eyeballs.

It's apples and oranges.

Please consider that there are people who actually know how to deliver ridership and solutions for transit users.

This is a city of a million people, bigger than many cities that have successfully provided transit solutions for their citizens.

Transit in OKC has been poorly funded and designed for failure, or, in the case of the "trollies," treated as a novelty or amusement.

[metro]

Just to clarify this is not the city's movement, at least not yet

[soonerguru]

hipster,

Sorry, I didn't glean that from your comments. I just thought you were taking shots. Sorry.

I believe with the right plan in place, this could work. My garbage gets picked up every week on time. My water works. My dealings with police in OKC have been good. We obviously have a well-run city government, despite the apparent incompetence in the transit arena.

[soonerguru]

If mass transit falls off the MAPS3 horizon, that may be the boot I need to get out of this town.

I have thought this exact thing. If we don't do it now, it will never happen here.

Core to Shore will take decades to fill in. I hope that's not the basket in which they're depositing all of our eggs.

I too am curious who, and what, would be moving the city (chamber, etc.) away from Transit. Wonder if Steve could enlighten us in that area.