Passenger Rail Set To Connect OKC, Tulsa

[Hoss]

I think I read somewhere that when Joe Biden was as Senator he used to commute to DC from Delaware on Amtrak, just another average Joe.  No pun intended.

We took the Metroliner from DC to NYC and back about 35 years ago, I was quite impressed with the ridership. But there again, the NE is much more used to mass transit than those of us out in fly-over country.

It's all about population density and where the business core is in those areas in the NE.  When I made my trip to DC in '05, I hadn't been to the East Coast before, but I had been to SF and stayed with a friend of mine in the Mission District.  We took the BART everywhere we went.  DC/NoVA is a little different.  I still had to rent a car, but I would drive it between my hotel just east of Dulles to the farthest west Metro stop (Falls Church), park it there and take the Metro Blue Line in.  Much easier to use and saved the hassle of driving I-66 into the District.  I've heard that can take the soul right out of you.  I believe it, because the first day I was there (a Friday), after visiting a relative in the Triangle who works for the EPA, I took it back shortly before 3:30 and wound up getting into the outbound rush hour traffic on I-66 back towards Dulles and Manassas.  I used to think driving in Houston was bad.  NoVA is so much worse.  Their drivers rival Oklahoma drivers in sheer stupidity.

[custosnox]

It's all about population density and where the business core is in those areas in the NE.  When I made my trip to DC in '05, I hadn't been to the East Coast before, but I had been to SF and stayed with a friend of mine in the Mission District.  We took the BART everywhere we went.  DC/NoVA is a little different.  I still had to rent a car, but I would drive it between my hotel just east of Dulles to the farthest west Metro stop (Falls Church), park it there and take the Metro Blue Line in.  Much easier to use and saved the hassle of driving I-66 into the District.  I've heard that can take the soul right out of you.  I believe it, because the first day I was there (a Friday), after visiting a relative in the Triangle who works for the EPA, I took it back shortly before 3:30 and wound up getting into the outbound rush hour traffic on I-66 back towards Dulles and Manassas.  I used to think driving in Houston was bad.  NoVA is so much worse.  Their drivers rival Oklahoma drivers in sheer stupidity.

I've had the luxury of staying in DC, Seattle, Boston, Denver, and San Jose for about a week each in the last several years. Each time I was impressed at how much better public transport was to get around. In DC I would drive in from Dulles everyday with the family and park at the mall across the highway from the Pentagon and take the train for the day. Was glad my trips were not during any rush hour traffic. The T in Boston impressed me the most. I don't think I would even want to own a car if I lived there. Took the train out to Salem while there and enjoyed the trip, and would love to see something like that here, same with the BART when I ride into San Fransisco.
So far the bus terminals and the train terminals were no where near each other. I'm not seeing why there seems to be this concern that our terminal is for blocks away. If people are so afraid to walk here, it wouldn't be difficult to have a shuttle running between the two.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2

[carltonplace]

Our Mayor will veto the council resolution to the state that asks that ODOT not sell the lines between Sapulpa and OKC. He cited ease of personal car travel and alluded that rail travel is a novelty.

I'm sending him a email...maybe he will veto that too since we should still be using the postal service because of its convenience.

http://kwgs.org/post/bartlett-vetoes-train-resolution

Mayor Bartlett is vetoing a Tulsa city council resolution calling for the state not to sell the Sooner Sub Rail Line between Tulsa and Oklahoma City.  The rail line is being considered for a passenger train link between the state's largest cities.
 
Bartlett feels that passenger rail should be all private sector and not a state partnership.
 

DEWEY BARTLETT: " Use of a commuter rail between Oklahoma City and Tulsa has to be something that works and is supported on an almost daily basis by a variety of people. Right now it is more of a tourist sort of adventure.                                            
 
In his veto letter to the council he said he tought the resolution was too board in expressing an opinion for the entire community

[Red Arrow]

The T in Boston impressed me the most. I don't think I would even want to own a car if I lived there.

One of my cousins lived at Commonwealth and Berkeley in the late 70s - early 80s.  She used public transportation for most of her commuting but still owned a Honda Civic for trips where public transit didn't quite suffice.  Her roomie also owned a car.  Nice place to visit (I did several times) but not where I would want to live.
 
http://goo.gl/maps/5GyJh

[sgrizzle]

In his veto letter to the council he said he tought the resolution was too board in expressing an opinion for the entire community

Yeah, that 9-0 vote by people who got more votes than he did is obviously too narrow a focus.

Not to mention, what the ___ does he care? The council didn't say they were buying anything, it doesn't cost the city a dollar. This sounds like nothing other than Dewey trying to placate Fallin.

[nathanm]

This is what he decides to pick up the veto pen for? Really? Wow.

[Cats Cats Cats]

This letter is too strongly worded.. LOL.. Dewey is the council Editor.

[nathanm]

"ODOT isn't in a position to come up with the money necessary to repair and upgrade this particular stretch of track to make it viable for passenger rail service," Bartlett said.

Huh, all this time I thought money was fungible. We could, for example, spend a relatively small amount of money each year for the next 5 years repairing the line. Or we could lease it to a freight operator in exchange for repair work instead of money. Or use the lease money to help fund upgrades. I wonder which crony of his has a bid in?

[Townsend]

Tulsa Councilors Disappointed in Mayor's No Rail Sale Veto

http://kwgs.com/post/tulsa-councilors-disappointed-mayors-no-rail-sale-veto

Tulsa City Councilors are disappointed with Mayor Bartlett’s veto of a resolution urging that the Department of Transportation NOT sell a state owned rail line. Councilors believe a sale will diminish or eliminate chances for returning passenger train service to Eastern Oklahoma. Council Chair Karen Gilbert says the vote on the resolution was unanimous, and the mayor’s opposing stance is difficult to understand.

She says the veto and what to do about it will be discussed at a committee meeting, and then a veto override attempt could be the next step.

[patric]

How do you veto a non-binding resolution?

...and wouldn't ties to ODOT be a conflict of interest?

[RecycleMichael]

Dewey Bartlett used to sit on the board of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Maybe he knows something we don't.

[Hoss]

Dewey Bartlett used to sit on the board of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Maybe he knows something we don't.

I suspect this much:  he knows how to make a phone spontaneously combust while in his pocket...

[Conan71]

Dewey Bartlett used to sit on the board of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Maybe he knows something we don't.

OTA is a different entity than ODOT.  Aside from that, I don’t think Dewey knows anything about anything.  Well other than there’s great stuff over there on the other side of the train tracks.

[Hoss]

OTA is a different entity than ODOT.  Aside from that, I don’t think Dewey knows anything about anything.  Well other than there’s great stuff over there on the other side of the train tracks.

Sorry, I cannot look at Mayor Dooey and not think of this:



Back to our regularly scheduled topic.   

[Conan71]

Sorry, I cannot look at Mayor Dooey and not think of this:



Back to our regularly scheduled topic.   

Add bloodshot eyes and a couple of seed burns and it would be spot on.