Passenger rail service return to Union Station unlikely as part of regional transit plan
A new regional transportation study discourages using rail-based transit that would stop at downtown's Union Station and instead suggests pursuing bus rapid transit to connect with west Oklahoma City and Will Rogers World Airport.
The two connections are the last ones to be determined before voters will be asked, likely in late 2024, to decide whether to fund a regional transportation system that will connect Norman, Edmond, Oklahoma City and Tinker Air Force Base.
Passenger rail lines extending from Union Station to both west Oklahoma City and the airport have been looked at sporadically since the late 1980s. But consultants working for the Regional Transportation Authority say the rail lines are far from the best option for new service to either area.
“We found the Union Pacific corridor is not in great shape,” said Liz Scanlon, a transit planner with Kimley-Horn & Associates. “There are some issues that would need significant capital investment. It does not make sense to us. And it doesn’t connect with the airport, so you would have to add new track.”
How the study examined transportation routes to consider
In weighing routes to remain in contention, Scanlon looked at which ones best served “equity” areas, which she defined as neighborhoods with lower income, minority and older residents. Other considerations included high ridership potential, major employers, retail and academic institutions.
Scanlon recommended narrowing west city routes to three options. The three bus rapid transit options would run along either NW 10 or Reno Avenue between downtown and Council Road.
The highest rated of the three would then extend the bus rapid transit route from Council Road to SW 15. Another would terminate at Council Road while a third would continue along NW 10 or Reno Avenue to Sara Road.
For the airport route, the top option is take Western Avenue to SW 29 to Meridian to the airport. The tying top rated route would take Reno Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue where it would zigzag south to SW 29 where it would again connect to Meridian Avenue and then the airport.
The lowest ranked of the three would take Reno Avenue west toward Meridian to link to the airport.
Dismissal of west rail links diminish long-held dreams by some transit promoters for bringing rail service back to Union Station.
More: The 'miraculous' restoration of OKC's Union Station and the man who made it possible
A long history of discussion surrounding adding rail routes
The station, which is located in the heart of Scissortail Park, was built in 1931 as a hub for the Frisco and Rock Island railroads. The depot closed when passenger service ended in 1967.
In the early 1990s, the station was envisioned as a hub for a regional transit rail system. But the station’s platforms and all but one rail line were destroyed when the rail yard was cleared to make way for reconstruction of Interstate 40 south of downtown.
The Santa Fe Station at 100 E.K. Gaylord was chosen to be the transit hub instead and is already a stop for the Amtrak Heartland Flyer. The regional transportation board previously approved making the station a hub for a bus rapid transit line to Tinker Air Force Base and for a commuter rail that will operate along the BNSF line between Edmond and Norman.
More: New BRT line expected in 2023, could include city’s first park and ride
The north-south route now appears to be the only line in a regional transit network to be presented to voters that will involve commuter rail. The transportation authority board approved spending up to $500,000 to reimburse the BNSF Railway for design and engineering studies for the north-south route. The agreement also allows for spending similar amounts for the following two years if necessary, but those expenditures would require annual approval by the RTA board, director Jason Ferbrache said.
Ferbrache said the RTA and the BNSF are now “collaborative partners” in the effort to create a commuter rail between Edmond and Norman.
“Both are focused on the future and that’s evidenced by this formal cost reimbursement agreement where BNSF is incurring some expense and has dedicated some staff time to make this work,” Ferbache said. “It just comes down to whether can we agree on infrastructure improvements that the RTA can afford to make and will support the growth of their future rail operations without impacting their current service levels.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC union station unlikely to see return of passenger rails
