[OKC] FW: [PRailOK] Bristow, OK Public Meeting

[Shauna Struby]

fyi

 

From: sfrr at aol.com [mailto:sfrr at aol.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 7:04 AM
To: EvanStair at PassengerRailOK.org; heartland_flyer at yahoogroups.com;
Southwest_Chief at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [PRailOK] Bristow, OK Public Meeting

 

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RE:  EASTERN FLYER PASSENGER RAIL DEVELOPMENT TASK FORCE

DATE:  FEBRUARY 8, 2011

CONTACT:  

Evan Stair

Executive Director

Passenger Rail Oklahoma

www.PassengerRailOK.org <http://www.passengerrailok.org/> 

405.204.5801

 

It has been a decade since Oklahoma and Amtrak began operation of the highly
successful passenger train, the Heartland Flyer, between Oklahoma City and
Fort Worth.  Unfortunately, the Heartland Flyer terminal remains at Oklahoma
City, serving just  south central  Oklahoma.  State lawmakers have been
reluctant to provide more than $2 million in funding annually for state
passenger trains due to annual budget challenges.  Oklahoma Department of
Transportation (ODOT) officials have turned to federal sources to
investigate alternatives to provide Tulsa with High Speed Rail service out
of Oklahoma City.

 

Expansion benefits are obvious.  The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI)
studied the Heartland Flyer route in 2009 for the Texas Department of
Transportation (TxDOT) and ODOT.  The final study showed an $18 million
impact for communities on the Heartland Flyer route with $1.4 million of
this provided in local tax revenues.  When compared with the $3.9 million
annual operational cost the $14.1 million economic return can no longer be
ignored, especially with gasoline prices rising over $3.00 per gallon.

 

State Representative Richard Morrissette, Oklahoma City; Tulsa City
Councilman Rick Westcott; and other on route community leaders have teamed
to investigate alternative expansion avenues.  Representative Morrissette
has introduced HB1686, The Eastern Flyer Passenger Rail Development Task
Force Act, to investigate alternative funding methods and the true cost of
delivering passenger rail to Tulsa and points in between.  The concept of a
Public Private Partnership (P3), an emerging transportation infrastructure
funding method endorsed by the National Conference of State Legislatures,
will be at the center of this task force.

 

Passenger Rail Oklahoma is providing informational opportunities along the
OKC – Tulsa route:

 

Bristow, OK

Public Meeting

Friday February 11, 2011

City Council Chambers 

Main & 7th Street

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

 

Passenger Rail Oklahoma calls upon the general public and state legislators
to become involved in the project.  Bringing economic recovery to the state
is everyone’s business. 

 

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