Public Invited to Launch Tulsa Regional Transit Plan on Jan. 19
Tulsa, OK – Economic development and mass transit will merge Jan. 19 during a public event expected to draw hundreds of people from Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Sand Springs and Owasso. The event, “Get smart about transit – and how it moves the economy” kicks off the region’s first-ever comprehensive transit system study and will include commuter rail, light rail, bus rapid transit, streetcar, express bus and conventional bus.
“With gasoline prices approaching $3 a gallon and transportation investments increasingly moving toward more public transit options, this is a timely opportunity for residents in the Tulsa region to learn about transportation trends,” said James Wagner, INCOG Senior Transportation Planner. “We know that robust transit systems create jobs, spur economic development and keep our region’s infrastructure competitive. We also know that people can save thousands of dollars a year by using transit. But we need help from the public to create a plan that works for the Tulsa region.”
The event at Tulsa Community College’s Center for Creativity, 910 S. Boston Ave., features an afternoon symposium and evening open house. Former Mayor Pat McCrory from Charlotte, N.C. and local experts will participate in a series of sessions beginning at 1:30 p.m. that will include a case study of transit and economic development in Charlotte, N.C. as well as a panel discussion. The open house begins at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation by McCrory scheduled for 7 p.m. The public is invited to participate in both the afternoon sessions and the evening open house.
The kickoff event marks the beginning of an 8-week outreach effort to generate input from thousands of residents in the metro area. During that time, transportation planners will travel the region to interact with residents where they work, shop, learn and play to gather ideas for the regional transit system plan.
About Tulsa Regional Transit System Plan
The Tulsa Regional Transit System Plan is a process to identify and prioritize the Tulsa region’s highest traffic areas, followed by a detailed analysis of alternative transportation modes for specific corridors. Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., which has offices in Tulsa and experience on similar projects in Oklahoma City and across the nation, is leading both the technical and public participation components of the effort.
INCOG, the Tulsa regional transportation planning agency, initiated the development of the regional transportation plan in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority, the City of Tulsa and INCOG member communities including Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Owasso and Sand Springs.
Funding for the Transit System Plan was collected from the communities/entities which have been identified as possible beneficiaries of this process: City of Tulsa, City of Broken Arrow, City of Bixby, City of Jenks, City of Owasso, City of Sand Springs, as well as MTTA and ODOT.
More information about the planning process can be found at www.transitsystemplan.org
Updated 01-05-2011
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