Oklahoma City, OK — Streetcars Proposal

Rail Transit Online, May 2006

A wide-ranging transportation study by consultants Carter-Burgess has found that a modern streetcar system could be more feasible than light rail in Oklahoma City but such a project should probably be considered only after bus service is expanded and improved.  The study, conducted for the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority (COTPA), notes that competition for federal dollars is becoming increasing fierce even as Washington has tightened funding standards for rail projects.  Thus, streetcars may be a more viable option than light rail but, as seen in other U.S. cities, could attract far more riders than buses.  “The reality is, you will get people who are willing to ride a train who aren't willing to ride a bus,”  COTPA administrator Rick Cain told The Journal Record.  Cain said one possible streetcar route would loop from the medical center around Lincoln Boulevard to St. Anthony Hospital, along 10th Street, then downtown through Bricktown, a growing residential area.  The study, which looked at transportation needs over the next 24 years, also said north-south commuter rail could be practical using the BNSF Railway line parallel to Interstate 35, although double-tracking would be required.  Preliminary figures show the capital cost for a streetcar would be about $83.2 million while commuter rail would have a price tag of about $234 million.  Previous efforts to explore light rail were sidetrack by political opposition, primarily from hometown congressman Rep. Ernest Istook.