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Idea to send: |
| Topic | Transportation |
| Content | Develop a comprehensive public transportation system for the state’s two metro areas. This will enable more working class citizens to access better jobs, cut down on highway use and pollution, save fuel, and provide an alternative transportation network and the continued functioning of area military installations in case of disruption of fuel supplies. In order to do this expeditiously: 1. Put a moratorium on construction of the new Crosstown Expressway in Oklahoma City. Re-decking the existing Crosstown will provide a cost avoidance of some $500 million ($557 million latest documented cost of new Crosstown versus $50 million to re-deck). Re-using the Union Station rail yard will save countless dollars and time for acquisition of right of way, demolition, and new construction to build the intermodal yard anywhere else. 2. Legislature to enable and require existing transit agencies in OKC and Tulsa metro areas to apply for planning grants (http://www.fta.dot.gov/funding/data/grants_financing_1591.html) from the US Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Oklahoma City has a completed Fixed Guideway Study, but it will need to be updated to include use of the rail yard at Union Station as the basis for its intermodal transit station. 3. Use a vote of central cities and suburbs in each metro area to dedicate a temporary one cent of sales tax (Train MAPS) to fund the local portion of required capital costs. Use a similar vote to dedicate a quarter-cent of sales tax long-term for the local portion of operating costs. 4. Apply for capital grants (funded at 80 federal/20 local) (http://www.fta.dot.gov/funding/grants_financing_7205.html) for system construction from FTA. 5. Apply for operating grants (50/50) from FTA. |
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