In 2009, ACOG began a visioning process to determine the desire for expanded and enhanced regional public transportation. This “Regional Transit Dialogue” (RTD) brought together locally elected officials, policy stakeholders, private sector leaders and the general public to determine how transit can better serve our area in the years and decades to come. The final products of the RTD are available for download here.
One of the recommendations that came out of the RTD process was to do more comprehensive study of one or more of the commuter corridors identified in the 2005 Fixed Guideway Study to determine their feasibility for future transit development. We also agreed that we would continue the regional transit dialogue in a second phase that we are calling RTD2.
In August 2010, ACOG’s Intermodal Transportation Policy Committee approved the allocation of a portion of the region’s Surface Transportation Program Urbanized Area funding to study three commuter corridors in Central Oklahoma:
- Edmond to Downtown Oklahoma City
- Norman to Downtown Oklahoma City
- Midwest City (Tinker Air Force Base) to Downtown Oklahoma City
Local matching funds are being provided by the adjacent cities of Del City, Edmond, Midwest City, Moore, Norman and Oklahoma City.
The purpose of the study is to examine options to improve mobility, reduce congestion and foster economic development. Additionally, transit is a tool for improving air quality and reducing energy consumption.
Currently, we are wrapping up the final touches on a contract with URS Corporation to conduct this study. We expect to get started on the 18-month process this fall.
The RTD steering committee will be reconvening later this month to guide the commuter corridors study process as the first activity for RTD2.