Oklahoma City hub must be preserved

 This release came to my attention from more than once source, and TFA is please to give notice to an event directed to preserving an essential and totally irreplaceable piece of urban infrastructure.

Rally for OKC Union Station

10:00 AM, Saturday Morning, August 11, 2007

At Union Station

300 SW 7th

Oklahoma City, OK? 73109

OKC Union Station’s rail yard is the last grand urban yard in the West with all its original space intact. Existing rail lines sprawling all over the metro and state converge here. The North American Transportation Institute has an outstanding page devoted to this issue. It features video, maps, and plenty of useful information.

Satellite photo of OKC Union Station and the surrounding area:

Unfortunately, our department of Transportation is determined to destroy this treasure to make way for a hyper-expensive highway we don’t need.

It’s time ODOT ends the plan to destroy the Union Station yard to make way for a “New Crosstown” and simply repairs and upgrades  the “Old Crosstown” — which reportedly could be done for less than $50 million. (The actual cost of the “New Crosstown” plan may now well exceed one billion dollars — that’s for “four miles of new roadway”).

Using the state’s unique 900 mile network of publicly owned rail lines, OKC Union Station is the only hope Baby Boomers and older Oklahomans have of seeing a comprehensive, regional rail transit system in our lifetimes.

The rally will last?no more than an?hour.

This is an opportunity for the people of the state to speak up for responsible government, safe highways and badly?needed alternatives to the automobile. It’s a matter of utmost urgency.

For more information, call or e-mail Tom Elmore:

405 794 7163

gtelmore@advancedtransport.org

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Filed under: Passenger Rail Transportatio Policy, Regional USA Passenger Rail

Transbay Terminal drama continues

This is a very neat building at the heart of a wonderful city, but the drama over Transbay Terminal in beautiful downtown San Francisco never ends. Nonetheless, here is the latest poop. There is a new design and it is impressive.

The new Transbay Transit Center at First and Mission streets will centralize the region’s transportation network by accommodating eight transportation systems under one roof, including AC Transit, Caltrain, MUNI, Golden Gate Transit, SamTrans, Greyhound, BART and future California High-Speed Rail. The area surrounding the Transit Center will be redeveloped to include housing, retail, and an adjacent tower poised to redefine the city’s skyline.

“We are immensely proud to be presenting these innovative visions for the future of transportation in our City,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom. “As the centerpiece of the Transbay Redevelopment Area and the focus of bus and rail transit for the region, the Transit Center will solidify San Francisco’s place as the leader in public transportation and sustainable, transportation-oriented development.”

Filed under: Regional USA Passenger Rail, United States High Speed Rail