Project Profile

Downtown Oklahoma City

MAPS Transportation System

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Client: Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority

Project Summary: The Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority (COTPA) has been pursuing development of major corridor transit linkages for a number of years.

Project Highlights

The most recent proposal for transit linkages involves a three-part corridor that includes a West Segment in southwest Oklahoma City along the I-40/Reno corridor to downtown; a Downtown Segment includes the City’s downtown business and commercial core along with the Bricktown recreational and entertainment area; and a Northeast Segment extending from downtown/Bricktown to the northeast following the abandoned M-K-T right-of-way now owned by COTPA.

Major Investment Study

Initially, TGC took a lead role in completing a Major Investment Study (MIS) for The link in this corridor which satisfied the requirements of the MAPS program and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) planning guidelines. The MIS examined several transportation alternatives in each segment of the overall corridor. The result was a recommendation for technology, routes, and financing for each segment. The MIS recommended a rubber-tire bus alternative for the west segment to provide regular and periodic shuttle services between the Meridian Avenue activity area and both the Fairgrounds and downtown; a vintage rail trolley circulator for the downtown/Bricktown area; and maximizing the use of the M-K-T right-of-way in the northeast segment and minimizing the service to the Oklahoma Health Center.

Advanced Planning

After approval of the MIS locally, and by FTA, TGC led the Advanced Planning for the corridor. In the post-MIS period, Advanced Planning activities refined the system details such as route adjustments, stop locations and treatments, maintenance facility locations and requirements, related traffic issues, operating plans, and other elements that will bring the project closer to funding and implementation. An environmental assessment was prepared as part of the Advanced Planning activities. Concurrently, an architectural/engineering team (Huitt-Zollars in association with Dewberry Planning Group) pursued preliminary design considerations for the vintage rail trolley portion of the downtown system. Activities included establishing alignments, relocating utilities, maintenance facility layout, operational issues, and capital cost estimates.