$200 M project calls for commuter rail, trolley lines

TULSA - City planners want to invest $200 million on a new public transportation system for Downtown Tulsa.

Supporters say it'll be faster and more efficient than current bus routes. Critics say, it's expensive and unnecessary.

"That's a lot of money," said Tulsa driver Karen Cox. "Where are we getting it? Where's it gonna come from?"

Senior planner Steve Carr says Tulsa can't afford to ignore current transportation trends.

"The growth in Tulsa was historically based on rail. Rail was what led people to travel and allowed them to travel, and that accessibility and visibility made the land around it valuable," explained Carr. "We believe the same is absolutely true today."

The three-mile commuter rail would run from the OSU-Tulsa campus, to downtown and over the Arkansas River to w. 23rd Street and s. Jackson Avenue. The new lines would be built parallel to existing tracks, which are used for commercial freight traffic. Unlike the bus, passengers could hop on a train every ten minutes.

A trolley is also planned to run from the Boulder Avenue bridge to Veteran's Park.

The project is getting a major head start from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. ODOT is replacing I-244 over the Arkansas River with a double-decker bridge, which includes a passenger rail line. Construction is expected to begin next year, thanks to a $50 million federal stimulus grant.

The city estimates it'll take another $150 to $200 million dollars to finish the rest. Taxpayers will likely be asked to pay for part of that bill.

"Convincing people to vote for that, when they see we have a real practical solution in transit, we believe people will actually jump on board and strongly advocate for that," said Carr.