The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

Construction on what was once Oklahoma City's two tallest towers prior to Devon Tower (BancFirst & First National) continues to delay construction and resurfacing of street work coupled with the $967 million General Obligation Bonds passed in 2017 that will resurface and repair a majority of Oklahoma City's streets, roads & bridges.  The convention center complex along Robinson has begun street resurface projects.

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Heartland Flyer Extension Infrastructure Needs Assessment

BNSF has provided the preliminary capital investment costs to operate the proposed Amtrak service connecting Newton, KS to Oklahoma City, OK based on current freight rail traffic and capacity.  While this is an important step forward, the State still needs significant information to evaluate establishing Heartland Flyer service.

A summary of the estimated preliminary capital investment costs and likely next steps are outlined below.  

Preliminary capital investment cost:  

          The preliminary cost estimates to improve BNSF rail infrastructure are based on current freight traffic and current capacity levels.  
          Note –these costs do not include station stops (e.g., platforms, station buildings, station operating costs,etc.).

The total infrastructure cost for 79 mph service is $124.4 million, including:

               Kansas rail improvements $31.2 million
               Oklahoma rail improvements $93.2 million

These costs include:

          o     $28.8M (across both states) for upgrades necessary for 79 mph operating speed
          o     $15.8M for an extension of a siding on the Arkansas City, BNSF Kansas subdivision rail (2.3 miles)
          o     $79.8M for an extension of a siding near Oklahoma City (4 miles –includes 5 bridges)

The reason the needed Kansas investment is substantially less than the Oklahoma investment is because BNSF is currently investing in track improvements and additions from Emporia to Wellington that result in improved freight flows on the rail corridor between Newton and Mulvane. This reduces the need to expand track infrastructure along that corridor which was originally outlined in previous assessments.

Additional analysis based on future freight capacity is still in development and will be necessary for future planning of the service.

Next Steps:   There are several key next steps in the planning process for this service.

     1.   Discuss these cost estimates with our partner state, Oklahoma,because infrastructure improvements will be required within their state borders.
           KDOT has been in consistent communication with Oklahoma Department of Transportation officials regarding this service and will maintain that
           communication as information becomes available.

     2.   Develop an updated service development plan.  This is a necessary step to fully understand the resources needed to implement and operate the service.

           o     KDOT will partner with Amtrak, stakeholders including communities and agencies to update the service development plan which that will guide
                  future implementation of the service.

           o     Funding for Amtrak start-up costs will be needed along with the infrastructure investment that BNSF requires, and the annual operating cost.

           o     Local partnerships are also vital as commitments from local communities are necessary for future action. Communities that have stops in the
                  updated Service Development

           Plan will need to commit to investing in station stops and necessary investment for the service.

     3.   BNSF will need to complete the second phase of the infrastructure needs assessment that focuses on a future growth scenario(instead of the
           current scenario for which we now have cost estimates) to provide final cost estimates necessary for future implementation of the service.
      
           Note:  BNSF will not complete the final analysis until a commitment of state or local funding is made to establish the Heartland Flyer service on the corridor.

           In order to demonstrate that commitment, we need to secure commitments from Oklahoma and the station stop communities.  

     4.   KDOT and communities need to explore regional support for the investment in passenger rail at upcoming local consult meetings because an investment
           of this magnitude is consistent with modernization and expansion projects on the highway system.  KDOT is pleased to have the first modal project to be
           considered alongside highway projects –this represents a positive step in viewing our transportation system and investments from a multi-modal
           perspective.

     5.   It should also be noted that KDOT is working in good faith from preliminary cost estimates and as information is released to KDOT, we will maintain
           transparency and keep stakeholders informed of any progress.

If you have any questions please contact Chris Herrick, Chris.Herrick@ks.gov.



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Amtrak's Heartland Flyer extension test train brought crowds trackside along the Oklahoma City to Kansas City route. The train ran from the former Santa Fe station in Oklahoma City, departing at 7:45 a.m., and terminated at Kansas City Union Station at 5:30 p.m. Stops included Guthrie, Perry, and Ponca City in Oklahoma, and Arkansas City, Wichita, Newton, Emporia, and Topeka in Kansas.

Amtrak officials and state leaders have discussed extending the Heartland Flyer north into Kansas for several years, though it’s unclear how much progress they’ve made. But even though the coronavirus has caused state agencies and Amtrak to lose money, talks of expanding the Flyer are still ongoing.

The 'Demand' is probably there; it's a matter of time.  The Union Depot in Tulsa is beautiful structure--Tulsa has a better base infrastructure than OKC.  Would love to see this beautiful structure up and running again.


I know it's being used for something else; however is the Sapulpa station operable...

Tulsa would add an important key route which would link Tulsa to Fort Worth (via OKC) and Kansas City (via Wichita-Newton).  Eventually, if the Heartland Flyer returns north into Kansas from OKC, you'll see an immediate plan to spur a route into Tulsa with a triangle route to serve Wichita, Tulsa and OKC.  

IIRC Newton, Kansas is the key link route to Chicago.

               (https://www.google.com/maps/vt/data=QJMoeBP4aCA-rUckB24QO94Rqydx68X_q1SJvGEgnwLMvSWIQe8yfEXvM6u-rk5piYrGeD-g54B_G7BUC6KTyKFkgU7P3_dIa0C3DKnO8oiGua3wvbnILe0z0E7MHaGciNSVRVxjvKcyA-ocXJ1ZYaMqcZLk3NoJLUeb9yUfwFcALXufevknOTIHnzmg,GFdypKQG0rCxwrB55u8yvBe_YRT2fhfGGvsZIAMjdgJ577rS3ARKn9Pgvjp3j384PtF41FM1W-5XbSHdjYhGrnV3NBsF5ZfgladMYU7ZtSjFQwdpxsDt-3VxQZazKaMVVPqPg4MlTWQd0g70D-rRzTxGx6IHMZm9sdiizXWLDyVnSTIXa3UvgzqcbrOuKmT2X7mQgVda4iZrABYYa1EObNHwiSYS9bVNXYPuvsR1TGMrof6cC0pvdZ11b5PSD5oYpjKNLWla1HpvpyoShcbiBX48SqsyVAR-tElv9bA5lKiRoSiCBQvpRJLm3q5-fqOrgiJRb77LzMuVFrjfiP86TCQmmoJQGFEa84d7KJQiQ8K5TWKllFuJohSe81LegZWqwf0yAMj2tMVN?scale=1&h=200&w=618)

Today the stockyards remains the world's largest stocker and feeder cattle market.  Main Street is lined with a number of shops filled with Western wear to dress you in attire from head to toe and unique stores with handmade products and housewares. If you like country music, Rodeo Opry along Exchange Avenue offers live music for your entertainment.  The mission of Main Street is to preserve Western culture and the feel of the old west in a modern setting.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum which houses the largest collection of Cowboy memorabilia in the country have over 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts including the world’s most extensive collection of rodeo photographs.

Pop’s Route 66 – Giant Pop Bottle, The 66-ft LED pop bottle is hard to miss. Pop’s is where modern architecture meets roadside attraction. The huge futuristic canopy stretches 100 feet (unsupported!), to shelter car and their occupants from sun, rain and snow.

Pop’s signature is soda pop – with a selection of more than 400 ice-cold sodas and beverages. There is a full-service grill and self-serve gas station, so you might as well stop. Get there at dusk if you can, for a great photo op.  The LED pop bottle is 11 feet taller than Texas State Fair's Big Tex.


Originally built by a local farmer in 1898 and restored in 1992, the red round barn in Arcadia at one time was one of the most photographed landmarks on Route 66. It is now a resource for Route 66 information and shop along the route.

On the morning of April 19, 1995, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City was destroyed in a domestic terrorist attack when a bomb exploded, killing 168 people. The Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum was created to remember those who were killed, those who survived, and those changed forever.

Myriad Botanical Gardens has a springtime shower worth of upcoming programming opportunities slated for the season.

“The gardens, over the last four years, has really striven to fill itself with activities of all sorts – for kids, for adults, fitness activities, fun activities, educational stuff,” said Christine Eddington, director of marketing and communications at the gardens. “Our goal is to be really programmed all the time.”--Oklahoma Gazette, April 2015.

As the canal turns south toward the river, it is highlighted by hiking and bicycle trails, water features and landscaped park areas. The Bricktown Water Taxi offers rides down the canal. Various public and private development projects are in progress along its banks.

The Paseo Arts Festival is a great excuse to discover (or hopefully rediscover) the fantastic Paseo Arts District. For over 44 years the annual festival has brought food, fun, music and art to the district’s streets, drawing more than 60,000 weekend visitors to the two day event.

The Oklahoma City Zoo’s new habitat expansion, Sanctuary Asia, (above pic) has been nominated for the USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Award for Best Zoo Exhibit!   Since 1990, the zoo has received one-eighth of a cent from the city’s sales tax collections.  Over the next nine years, the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden could see $71 million in renovations and new exhibits.

The I-235/US-77/I-44 Interchange project, consists of a three-mile segment of north-south urban interstate highway located between 36th Street on the south and 63rd Street on the north in Oklahoma City and two urban interchanges (NW 36th Street and NW 63rd Street) and the I-44/I-235 four-level interstate interchange.

The boulevard now runs east and west from the I-40/I-235 interchange near downtown and merges into I-40 near N. Villa on the west. It dissects Myriad Gardens Park on the north and the new Scissortail Park (lower park) under construction to the south.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has built the boulevard as the last phase of the entire I-40 project and is turning it over to the City of Oklahoma City once completed.

The boulevard follows the right of way of the original elevated I-40 Crosstown Expressway which was removed once the I-40 corridor was moved five blocks to the south.--Oklahoma City Free Press--Friday, December 18, 2020

(https://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/235011721a.jpg)


...Connect to Turner Turnpike north, a 21-mile stretch of toll road in eastern Oklahoma to  the southern segment from Interstate 40 to US-62 remains under construction and is scheduled to open in 2021.


In 2007, the city passed an ordinance requiring all new developments to include sidewalks.

A 2007 bond issue included funding for 275 miles of sidewalks. The passage of MAPS 3 in 2009 further committed the city to making itself more walkable by committing $18 million for more than 50 miles of sidewalks in areas built up during 1960s through the 1990s.

MAPS 4 (Passed December 2019) will provide $87 million to transform the environment in neighborhoods across the city by providing major funding for sidewalks, bike lanes, trails and streetlights.

The second of two Dallas-style flyover ramps connecting Interstate 235 and Interstate 44 opens Thursday (02/04) with reconstruction of the junction on track for an opening by this fall.

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                                          Roads to Oklahoma City Convention Center Complex

(https://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention032121b.jpg)
               The Roundabout on Robinson Avenue in front of the convention center has been finished (barriers removed); now open.
                                     Beautiful view of Scissortail Park on the left and the convention center & Omni Hotel on the right.
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                                                                                           Pics via OKCTalk.com

The light-blue lines represent what would be new services, while the orange lines show services that would be extended.

Amtrak said it could create more than 30 new routes and connect 160 new communities, and expand or improve rail service for some 20 million people. Materials prepped for the announcement said the plan would bolster transportation options for diverse populations throughout the country.

The new routes include cities that haven't before been connected to the national rail service, including western outposts like Las Vegas and Phoenix, Amtrak said.

Insider:  https://www.businessinsider.com/map-amtrak-could-build-expanded-rail-network-biden-infrastructure-plan-2021-4 (https://www.businessinsider.com/map-amtrak-could-build-expanded-rail-network-biden-infrastructure-plan-2021-4)

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The above extension was part of a study done by  by Amtrak and funded by the Kansas Department of Transportation.   The Biden Administration is looking at some proposed routes which could include a spur route to Tulsa  also another route proposed spline included Tulsa to Kansas City as a part of earlier maps as far back as 2009...

(https://kotv.images.worldnow.com/images/18128874_G.jpeg)


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                                                                                                                Pics via OKCTalk.com

 

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Love Pop's!   We go there regularly!   Only place in this state where I could find my favorite soda -  Rat Bastard Root Beer by Skeleteens.

And they seem to be gone now, too...

The fi�rst fl�ight will be to Tampa on July 1 followed by service to San Antonio and New Orleans starting July 15. Fares are as low as $39 one way.

Low-cost airfares boosted by fees

A base round-trip fare of $78 to Tampa was available Friday morning. Charges for seat assignments, carry-on bags and checked luggage more than double the fare.

Breeze's schedule has departures to Tampa on Sundays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Flights to New Orleans and San Antonio are scheduled Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Breeze plans to fl�y the routes with 118-passenger Embraer 195 and 108passenger Embraer 190 jets.

Breeze markets customer perks such as fl�exibility in booking and cancellations.

San Antonio and Oklahoma City are the western-most destinations on its route map, which comprises generally smaller markets.

From New Orleans, Tampa and Charleston, customers can reach Midwest and Northeast markets including Louisville, Columbus, Hartford and Providence.

JetBlue founder launched Breeze Airways.--Oklahoman, May 22, 2021

Restoration of the Ponca City Santa Fe Station would cost locals $2 million, Ponca City Mayor Homer Nicholson and leaders are hoping Congress approves the funding bill.

Nicholson wants to see his town spend up to $2 million to restore the 110-year-old depot, which is just two blocks from Ponca City’s downtown and its shops and restaurants. In past years, his dream of Amtrak's restoring service between Oklahoma City and Newton was just a dream.

Project expensive, but could happen quickly

Amtrak officials suggest if funded, the wait for a Heartland Flyer could be as little as a “couple of years,” pending negotiations to upgrade and add passenger rail to existing BNSF freight track.

Stephen Gardner, Amtrak president, estimates upgrading tracks between Oklahoma City and Newton and adding two additional daily runs between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth will cost about $500 million.--Oklahoman, June 13, 2021
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Engineering management on behalf of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority insist the project for the Kickapoo Turnpike’s south extension
is only in its earliest stages. But Norman residents are worried the turnpike expansion plans are a done deal, with hundreds of homes
set to be potentially impacted.

About 1,000 people crammed into CrossPointe Church in Norman on Thursday night to voice their concerns over the new plan.

The project — announced February 22, 2022 by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and called “Advancing and Connecting Communities and Economies
Safely Statewide,” or ACCESS for short — is a 15-year, $5 billion plan that turnpike officials say will help manage highway congestion,
improve travel times and give drivers a better path to the southeast Oklahoma City metro area.--Oklahoman, 03-05-2022

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The pain of growth continues in the Norman-Moore, OK area which are among Oklahoma City's largest suburbs with approximately 130,000-65,000 residents,  Norman and Moore combined represent close to 200,000 residents encircling 200 sq, miles.   


Let's face it, no one wants their dream homes uprooted to make room for an expressway regardless of whether you live in a well-to-do neighborhood or one not so well-to-do, it's your home, your life, your roots and your memories.  Progress comes with a price.

OKC is following the progress of many cities like Nashville, Kansas City & Cincinnati where the expressways loop around the inner city and expand that interstate loop into the surrounding suburbs.

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Drivers along a popular Oklahoma City roadway may soon need to find a detour as construction continues on a pedestrian bridge.

Officials say N.W. Expressway from Wilshire Boulevard . to MacArthur Boulevard will close from midnight to 5 a.m. on September 14 so construction crews
can hoist a 121-foot pedestrian bridge over the roadway.

Crews will complete welding, decking, and assembly work over the next few weeks. As a result, the outside east and westbound lanes of N.W. Expressway will be closed through mid-October.

Two lanes in each direction will remain open to traffic.

The 121-foot pedestrian bridge over NW Expressway Boulevard will link the Lake Hefner and Lake Overholser Trail. It will also provide safer passage for walkers, cyclists, and runners across NW Expressway.

                                        (https://kfor.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/08/Pedestrian-bridge-site.png?resize=816,496)

City leaders tell KFOR that you probably don’t see many people currently crossing N.W. Expressway because pedestrians and cyclists don’t feel safe doing so because of the traffic and high rate of speed along the roadway.

The $5.3 million project is funded by the 2007 Bond Program and the 2017 Better Streets Safer City Bond Program.

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OKC receives grant to reduce fatalities on City streets


Post Date:02/03/2023 8:29 AM

Oklahoma City was awarded an $800,000 Action Plan Grant this week from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

This grant, combined with $200,000 in matching funds from the City, will fund the creation of a detailed plan to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries to drivers, transit riders, pedestrians and cyclists.

"Everyone deserves safe streets and sidewalks, regardless of where you live in Oklahoma City,” said City Manager Craig Freeman. “Our plan will prioritize accessibility in street design for people of all abilities.”

The grant is part of the DOT’s bipartisan Safe Streets and Roads for All program.

The plan is expected to take 18 months to develop. Residents will be able to weigh in through surveys and meetings over the next year.

“The Planning, Public Works, and Police Departments, along with EMBARK, will collaborate on a holistic, well-defined Vision Zero Action Plan to prevent deaths on City streets,” added Freeman. "This research, combined with public engagement, will help us identify future infrastructure projects.”

Between 2016 and 2020, there were 402 vehicle-involved fatalities on Oklahoma City streets. With a fatality rate of 12.3 per 1,000 people, Oklahoma City ranks fourth highest behind Jacksonville (15.7), Dallas (13.7) and Phoenix (12.6).

“Roadway deaths are preventable,” said Planning Director Geoff Butler. “Among other things, the Vision Zero Action Plan will identify our most dangerous streets and recommend strategies and design improvements to make them safer.”

Oklahoma City maintains more than 3,590 miles of streets and more than 12,580 traffic signals. Oklahoma City is 621 square miles, three times larger than Tulsa at 186 square miles. Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, Miami, San Francisco, Manhattan and Pittsburgh can all fit in OKC’s city limits.

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                                             ODOT plans new I-35 bridges and multi-model path in Oklahoma City.


                                                    Link to OKCTalk.com reports:  https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=47516&p=1227514#post1227514 (https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=47516&p=1227514#post1227514)

                                Iconic pedestrian bridge opens over NW Expressway


                             (https://hips.hearstapps.com/vidthumb/1ffa6c2a-54be-44a3-92d9-00b0f9800cf3/1ffa6c2a-54be-44a3-92d9-00b0f9800cf3_image.jpg?crop=1xw%3A1.0xh%3Bcenter%2Ctop&resize=810%3A*&quality=70)


          Oklahoma City took another step towards becoming a more pedestrian and cycling-friendly community today by opening a 121-foot pedestrian bridge
          over NW Expressway Blvd near Wilshire.

          The bridge provides safe passage for walkers, cyclists and runners on the 7.8-mile Hefner – Overholser Trail which runs from Britton Road at Lake Hefner
          Drive to NW 39th Street at Overholser Drive.

          “This bridge provides an important and safe connection for the hundreds of thousands of people who use our world-class trails system every year,” said
            Mayor David Holt.  “I thank the voters for approving this bridge and for continuing to invest in opportunities for physical activity and alternative transit.”   

            The Bridge’s design concept represents classic cars from the 40s, 50s and 60s and nearby airports, Wiley Post and Clarence E Page.

            The $5.3 million project was funded by the 2007 Bond Program and the 2017 Better Streets Safer City Bond Program.

            City of Oklahoma City website link:  https://www.okc.gov/Home/Components/News/News/4474/18?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery (https://www.okc.gov/Home/Components/News/News/4474/18?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery)



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Iconic?

I guess "iconic" is in the eyes of the beholder.

In that particular case of people crossing the street illegally, might help to take that picture, find them and send them a ticket.  Or two.  Or maybe charge the adults with reckless endangerment of the minors.

If you don't wanna die, don't do something SO patently ignorant!  In traffic.

                                     Bus Rapid Transit - BRT-OKC Natural Gas


                              (https://journalrecord.com/files/2022/05/x-okc-bus-rapid-transit.jpg)

                              Video Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDc5lOdMW1M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDc5lOdMW1M)


               Oklahoma City received two grants totaling more than $10 million for planning future improvements.  A $5.8 million federal grant to undertake
               planning for future improvements, and the other is a $4.3 million formula funding grant to purchase nine brand-new natural gas buses.

               The grant was received from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program, which was expanded by President        
               Joe Biden’s infrastructure law and will fund more than $2.2 billion projects throughout the US and two of its territories this year.

               Oklahoma's share, $36.68 million will go to three infrastructure projects in the Sooner State, includes $25 million to the Choctaw Nation for bicycle and
               walking paths and solar lighting along several roads in Durant.

               OKC's Northwest bus rapid transit route  to begin service this fall; along with two more routes being planned through MAPS 4, an expansion of the
               maintenance and operations center needed for a larger facility for parking buses, and a larger garage and shop facility for servicing those vehicles.

               The community wants high frequency corridors, later evening service, expanded weekend service, better on time performance and better connections            
               from the present routes in northeast Oklahoma City.

               Oklahoma City's  downtown transit center is the main place to transfer between bus routes under the current system.  

                        (http://www.benham.com/sites/default/files/portfolio/WRWATerminal_3.jpg)

               OKC plans to have some mini-hubs throughout the city to connect the south and east sides of the city and provide service for Will Rogers World
               Airport.

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