Mid-trip Observations

[kevinpate]

Norman congestion, much like I-35 congestion, is short lived and often vastly overstated. Excluding the 60-90 minutes before a home game or a majorly attended LNC event, and about 30-45 minutes am and pm at a few intersections, Norman is generally a breeze to get around.

UNP can get congested, but that traffic is easily avoided as well. I do it frequently, with near zero difficulty.

[Just the facts]

Norman congestion, much like I-35 congestion, is short lived and often vastly overstated. Excluding the 60-90 minutes before a home game or a majorly attended LNC event, and about 30-45 minutes am and pm at a few intersections, Norman is generally a breeze to get around.

UNP can get congested, but that traffic is easily avoided as well. I do it frequently, with near zero difficulty.

Ok, so not everyone agrees

[Just the facts]

Amtrak has so much administrative overhead all the funding would be sucked up before the first passenger got on-board. Oklahoma pays a $2 million annual subsidy to Amtrak to run 1 train a day to the Texas border. That is $5,500 per round trip and is on top of what passengers, Texas, and Amtrak pays. I would prefer for the state to run a regional rail system and have Amtrak drop Norman, Purcell, and Pauls Valley from their route.

[kevinpate]

I'd rather see Sooner Express have another trip or three available, including night trips from OKC to Norman, even if not daily.

[Just the facts]

Sid, if you are advocating that AmTrak either discontinue national rail service or start up a regional rail division then I would be all for both of those. I watched a Senate Hearing on AmTrak a few months ago and if I remember correctly there was discussion about breaking Amtrak up into 6 regional systems. I just wonder how far down the list Oklahoma will be in securing funding.

[Just the facts]

I'm for not giving $2M a year to Amtrak and then asking the state for many more millions to build duplicate coverage. How that is devised will take people who know the ins and outs of commuter rail systems better than I.

I'm not either. That is why I suggested a state run system connecting OKC with other towns in Oklahoma and AmTrak providing no-stop direct service from OKC to Ft Worth, or whatever Texas decides to do on their side of the border. I'm not sure a state run system would be near as top heavy as a rail system run out of Washington DC.

I was just looking through SEPTA's annual budget and they only spend 5% of their budget on getting the train/bus to move. 59% spent is on labor and admin. I guess you have to ask which level of government would be better at controlling labor costs.

http://www.septa.org/reports/pdf/annual-2011.pdf

[Spartan]

No need for a regional rail when the only available rail is a there and back again, daily amtrack to FW. but someday, yeah.

More and newer housing near DT, especially between DT and campus, would be a plus. However there is quite a resistance to it in that specific area, from both existing homeowners and the investment owner folks. They derive a tidy income from students renting out their existing structures in the area. Not sure anyone is willing to pay enough for the land to buy the existing folk out.

The tandem one way streets of Main and Gray function fine. The increased parking in between has been beneficial to the various businesses along both streets. Turning each into a two way street simply isn't necessary to improve flow in the area.

A DT hotel would be a nice addition. Although a few new hotels and motels have been added in recent years, each has been several miles removed from DT.

It has been nice though seeing the number of new businesses open DT in recent years. Most seem to be doing well. Hopefully the space vacated by Native Roots will get a new tenant soon.

The Magnolia Building is a true gem and was beautifully renovated, so a new tenant shouldn't be a problem. I just hope it isn't a restaurant...

Kerry - your thoughts on the alleged I-35 "congestion?" do we need another highway spur or loop down to Norman? Lol

[Spartan]

Amtrak has so much administrative overhead all the funding would be sucked up before the first passenger got on-board. Oklahoma pays a $2 million annual subsidy to Amtrak to run 1 train a day to the Texas border. That is $5,500 per round trip and is on top of what passengers, Texas, and Amtrak pays. I would prefer for the state to run a regional rail system and have Amtrak drop Norman, Purcell, and Pauls Valley from their route.

So only stop at Davis, and even more Podunk towns?

[Just the facts]

Eliminate Davis but Ardmore might could be kept. As for Norman, yes - building a new multi-hundred million dollar freeway around Norman would solve all the problems [/sarc]

[OKCisOK4me]

Davis isn't a stop.

[kevinpate]

Davis isn't a stop.

That's correct. OKC, Norman, Purcell, P-Valley, & Ardmore in OK. Gainesville and Fort Worth in TX.

On a slightly related note, apparently Megabus is now OKC, Norman, P-valley in OK and Dallas DT, Grand Prairie in TX. At least, PV was added in when my son went back to Dallas today, but did not show on the schedule a couple weeks back when I booked the trip.

[catch22]

My brother and I took a walk through Bricktown, Deep Deuce, and the CBD this afternoon; there were plenty of people walking around and having a good time on the Devon complex. Completely inviting.

[mugofbeer]

I'd definitely like to see that as well. It is too easy to get stranded. It would allow OKC folks to take evening classes at OU.

It allowed my dad to get his undergrad degree at OU while living in OKC and working to pay for his tuition back in the 40's. Why would it work then and not today?

[Questor]

1. Norman should not build one more street until they redo do every existing one in town. They are the worst streets I can ever remember driving on.

This is kind of funny because my experience has been that Norman's roads are actually pretty good compared to a lot of the rest of town. So by funny what I actually mean is sad and/or dreadful. Check out far west Edmond next time you are in town....

10. The Farmers Market building is my wife's favorite. Because of the old elevated freeway she said she never even knew it was there and she worked downtown for several years.

It's been reviving itself in recent years. I went to an art show there last winter that was really great fun... hope they keep doing things like that.