OKC approves new bus rapid transit routes

OKLAHOMA CITY New bus rapid transit routes to serve northeast and south Oklahoma City were approved Tuesday, just seven months after the city launched its first BRT line.

The City Council adopted the two routes, which total 17 miles from the Adventure District in northeast OKC to the logistics hub south of Will Rogers World Airport.

Jill Gibson, project manager with Kimley-Horn and Associates, presented the route alternative analysis summary and recommendation to the council.

“BRT likes to operate on densely developed corridors and have a simple and direct path of travel to really maximize the frequency and ridership needed to justify higher costs of operations,” Gibson said.

The 18-month analysis included meetings with business, educational, health and community stakeholders in the northeast and the south sectors, as well as public events and online surveys to collect public feedback.

“We had really good both in-person and online participation,” Gibson said. “Overall, the feedback that we received was very positive.”

She said residents mentioned better access to health care and educational facilities, more reliable bus service, connections to employment opportunities, direct access to key districts and neighborhoods, and service to historically disadvantaged populations.

Gibson said the most common question was, “Hey, how soon can this service be realized?”

The current timeline calls for construction to start in 2028 and service to begin in 2029.

MAPS 4 includes $61 million to build two additional BRT lines. Gibson said the next step is to explore how the project might be competitive for additional federal discretionary grants.

The first BRT line, Rapid NW, was constructed with local and federal dollars. It covers 9.5 miles running from downtown to the Lake Hefner area. Officials chose it first because it comes within one-half mile of 40,000 residents and 91,000 jobs or 23% of the city’s employment base.

Gibson said the new northeast and south routes together are near about 50,000 residents and 50,000 jobs and are estimated to serve 2,700 weekday riders.

It is anticipated that 26 station pairs will be located along the 17 miles. The preliminary design shows two of those pairs are at NW 13th and SW 29th where the Regional Transportation Authority anticipates stations for the future light rail system.

“It’s the beginning of much further analysis and work through preliminary engineering and environmental to define the station placements,” Gibson said.

International air travel

The council also set a public hearing and final vote for July 18 on the allocation of $500,000 to the Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City to help recruit international air service to Will Rogers World Airport.

“The state of Oklahoma is making funds available to airports in the state for air service development and it requires a local match,” Jeff Mulder, airports director, told the council.

The $500,000 in general obligation limited tax fund bonds designated for economic and community development would serve as the local match needed to apply for $2.5 million in federal dollars.

“We are in the process of recruiting for new air service,” Mulder said, specifically international service to begin next year.

The airport expects to complete this year the construction of a $12 million customs Federal Inspection Station that can support international travel.

Officials say nearly 100,000 Oklahoma City residents travel to Mexico and Central America annually, connecting through other hubs.

Mulder said the grant would be used like an insurance policy to entice an air carrier to begin service into the market. “If they ended up losing money they would be able to use these funds to replenish their losses,” he said.

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