[OKC] FW: from the Alliance for Public Transporation

[Shauna Struby]

From: APTSupport at okc.gov [mailto:APTSupport at okc.gov] 
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 11:48 AM
Subject: Please sign up; Read about 7/16

 

 
Microsoft Photo Editor 3.0 Picture

.       A Call for People to Like to Talk! 

.       What is your Zipcode? 

.       July 16 Lunch a Success; Next One- September 17

 

A Call for People to Like to Talk! 

This is easy, and takes hardly any time!  The APT's Policy Initiative
Committee is starting to get underway, chaired by Lauren White.  Pease sign
up by answering this email and by stating your home zipcode. The volunteers
will meet briefly soon to get training to prepare them to visit with elected
officials in their hometowns. The eventual visitation meetings would be, for
example, a few people with their specific City Council member. Some of this
committee may also succinctly address entire City Councils or other bodies.
It takes you! 

So, please sign up! 

 

What is your Zipcode? 

Again, please sign-up for the APT Policy Initiative Committee and let us
know your city and zipcode.  There is strength and comfort when you work and
visit with others.  Your elected officials want to hear from you and your
neighbors, and not from outsiders. Email this to a friend! 

 

July 16 APT Lunch Meeting:  Next One-Sept. 17 

The Oklahoma Alliance for Public Transportation, APT, had another
well-attended meeting at the Community Foundation last week.  About 50 were
present to hear what Councilman Sam Bowman of Oklahoma City had to say about
the need for more transit. They also heard from other speakers about transit
plans and toured a new bus.  Councilman Bowman indicated that transit has an
excellent chance of being in a MAPS3 vote later this year.  He reminded the
group that MAPS funds the building of something, but the cost of operating
that something has typically come from some other tax source. And so some
form of downtown circulator, such as a COTPA electric streetcar, could be
possible in a MAPS3 as could other transit improvements. He identified the
need to have an effort parallel to MAPS to dramatically improve the
operational funding of bus service, but indicated that areas currently
served should not be less served under some revamped future COTPA system.
Getting the public support by a vote for funds was a necessary step, and he
seemed pleased to see the momentum represented by groups like the APT. Thank
you Councilman Bowman! 

The APT also conducted an informal, anonymous MAPS3 survey among the
meeting's attendees based on past APT Listening Sessions. Most attendees
responded about their ballot preferences and were asked to select either a
downtown system, a mixture of a downtown and commuter system, or suggest
their own idea.  

Some in the audience had questions about future transit plans.  Larry Hopper
of METRO Transit representative helped attendees understand there already is
a recognized long-range regional plan for transit in this region but no
funding for implementation.  It is the COTPA Fixed Guideway Study (FGS) and
its "System Plan" (a plan map and document) that is part of the FGS. Both
are on the web at  <http://www.okfgs.org> www.okfgs.org  and the plan map
can be viewed and copied from there.  Developed in four rounds of 20 public
meetings across the region in 2005, the FGS and the System Plan are regional
and cover transit in many forms.  It is more than just a rail system plan,
and includes "enhanced bus" service with a "modified grid" layout, more ADA
paratransit, and more senior van service in a service area of about a dozen
suburbs. It recommended a regional funding source and governance. Governing
bodies at ACOG, COTPA and the City of Oklahoma City passed actions on the
plan.    

The group also heard from Doug Rex of ACOG who stated that the ACOG Regional
Transit Dialogue (RTD) steering committee is progressing well. It has met a
couple of times and the four subcommittees have been meeting.  The RTD uses
the COTPA Fixed Guideway Study (FGS) as a foundation, for ideas, and as a
springboard and the RTD should be complete by mid 2010. The RTD will help
spread transit awareness among local municipal leaders and other people
about the FGS, about regionwide transit finance, bus and rail technologies,
the relative necessity of transit, and how to better govern a regionwide
service. 

 

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