[OKC] FW: [PassRailOK] Oct 14, 2010::: OK Legislative Interm Session Study Announcement::: Amtrak Expansion

[Shauna Struby]

From: sfrr at aol.com [mailto:sfrr at aol.com] 
Sent: Friday, October 08, 2010 1:52 PM
To: EvanStair at PassengerRailOK.org
Subject: [PassRailOK] Oct 14, 2010::: OK Legislative Interm Session Study
Announcement::: Amtrak Expansion

 

Press Release

For Immediate Release

Oklahoma Legislature Interim Study: 

Passenger Rail Expansion

October 8, 2010

 

Contact:

Jacklyn Brink-Rosen

richardmorrissette at okhouse.gov

405.250.6263

or…

405.557.7404 and leave a message

(see the attachment)...

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or….  

Evan Stair

Executive Director

Passenger Rail Oklahoma

405.204.5801

…or sfrr at aol.com

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State Representative Richard Morrissette will be hosting an Oklahoma
Legislative Interim Study on Passenger Rail Expansion Thursday.  The public
is encouraged to attend.  Routes under study include Tulsa – Oklahoma City
and Kansas City – Wichita – Oklahoma City – Fort Worth.  A blue ribbon panel
of rail and legislative experts will be present, providing testimony
regarding regional passenger rail expansion including:  

 

1) Amtrak: Government Affairs Staff

2) BNSF Railway:  Government Affairs Staff
3) Kansas: State Senator Dick Kelsey

4) Texas: Representative Joe Pickett, Texas House Transportation Committee
Chair

5) ODOT: Staff

6) TxDOT: Staff
7) KDOT: Staff
8) Tulsa Comment: Tulsa City Councilman Rick Westcott’s Office

9) City, Civic, and Community Input

10) Evan Stair: Economic Development Presentation, Passenger Rail Oklahoma

11) on the fence, Federal Railroad Administration Staff

 

Specifically, the study will address many contemporary passenger rail
expansion programs and progress.  The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
is administering the High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) grant
program.  A Tulsa – Oklahoma City route is under study by Amtrak.  Parsons
Brinckerhoff engineering is performing a Service Development Plan (SDP)
along the route between Kansas City and Fort Worth for the Kansas Department
of Transportation (KDOT). 

 

Amtrak completed a study of the 606 mile Kansas City – Fort Worth corridor
in March.  Oklahoma stops studied included Ponca City, Perry, Guthrie,
Edmond, Oklahoma City, Norman, Purcell, Pauls Valley, and Ardmore.  Kansas
and Missouri stops included Kansas City, Lawrence, Topeka, Emporia, Strong
City, Newton, Wichita, and Arkansas City.  Texas stops included Gainesville
and Fort Worth.  A Denton County stop is also being studied for Krum, Texas.

 

Federal funding is available for capital development and studies through the
HSIPR program.  FY-2010 grants reached $10.2 billion.  Federal capital
funding availability increases the probability Tulsa could see passenger
rail service for the first time since 1971.  Oklahoma and Texas could be
connected to the northern half of the Amtrak system through Kansas, long
desired by rail travelers. 

 

When and Where:  

Thursday October 14 

1:00pm to 4:00pm 

Room 432A 

State Capitol 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. 

Oklahoma City, OK 73105.

 

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