The Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority (COTPA) will hold eight public meetings in early October regarding proposed changes to METRO Transit’s service as well as proposed fare increases. The proposed changes are intended to achieve improved frequency, better connections and improved on-time performance but do include the elimination of three existing routes.
Currently, METRO Transit has 23 routes along with the Downtown Discovery. The proposed service changes would affect all routes with the exception of route 24 (the Sooner Express) and eliminate routes 1, 4 and 20. The fare changes include an increase in single trip fares, METRO Link fares and METRO Lift fares but would not affect the purchase price of passes.
The public meetings, which will take place across the Oklahoma City metro, will include METRO Transit’s description of the proposed changes and opportunities for public input. Details on the proposed changes will be posted on METRO Transit’s website, GoMetro.org. The public meetings are scheduled as follows:
Thursday, October 3rd
5:15PM
Warr Acres Library
5901 NW 63rd Street (along route 8)
Monday, October 7th
5:15PM
Almonte Library
2914 SW 59th Street (along route 12)
Tuesday, October 8th
11:45AM and 5:15PM
Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library
300 Park Avenue (near the Downtown Transit Center)
Wednesday, October 9th
11:45AM
The Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
309 SW 59th Street (along route 40)
Thursday, October 10th
11:45AM and 5:15PM
Ralph Ellison Library
2000 NE 23rd Street (along routes 2, 19 and 22)
Friday, October 11th
11:45AM
Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma County
3535 North Western Avenue (along routes 4 and 5)
The proposed changes are largely the result of a review performed by the transportation planning firm Nelson Nygaard to evaluate and improve METRO Transit’s operating efficiency given the current funding. If approved, fare changes could be effective as early as January 2014 and services changes as early as spring 2014.