Oklahoma City, OK — Transit Vote Upcoming

Rail Transit Online, November 2009

Oklahoma City voters on Dec. 8 will decide whether to approve a $130-million rail-based transit package that would include a downtown streetcar, commuter rail and construction of an intermodal transit hub. The transportation proposal is part of the $777-million MAPS 3 program that includes a new downtown convention center, a large park, senior centers and other community amenities.

The measure was placed on the ballot by Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) and is the organization's third civic improvement plan. Approved in 1993, the first plan created a new professional basketball arena, a baseball stadium and a canal that acted as the catalyst in transforming an old warehouse district into an entertainment venue.

MAPS 3 would be funded by a one-percent sales tax that would expire in about eight years. The streetcar line would be five or six miles (8-9.6 km) long, linking major downtown attractions and traffic generators, while commuter rail would use an existing freight right-of-way between Oklahoma City and Norman.