OKC MAPS PROJECTS – 25 YEARS
Downtown Transportation Transportation in the downtown study area continues to adapt to the rapid pace of economic and demographic change induced by MAPS. The most visible sign of changing transportation downtown is the new MAPS 3-funded streetcar system. The Oklahoma City Streetcar opened in December 2018 and provides regular passenger service throughout the downtown study area. Bus service continues to play a vital role in transporting residents to and from the downtown area. More recently, other more nontraditional forms of transportation have diversified the way residents move about downtown. These include the use of bicycles and scooters as a circulator in the central business district and Bricktown. Ferry cruises on the Oklahoma River provide a unique form of water travel and entertainment. Amtrak service to Ft. Worth on the Heartland Flyer is also available at Santa Fe Station. Oklahoma City Streetcar A key element of MAPS 3 is a modern streetcar and transit system for downtown Oklahoma City. The $130 million investment in the EMBARK-operated streetcar system is fully funded by MAPS 3 sales tax receipts. The OKC Streetcar is a key component of Oklahoma City’s Fixed Guideway Plan, the blueprint for the future of public transit in the city. The streetcar represents a critical piece of infrastructure that links several downtown MAPS projects and plays a key role in the long-range transportation plan for downtown. The streetcar’s path is closely aligned with existing and emerging economic development corridors downtown and will make all areas of downtown readily accessible to workers, residents and visitors (see Figure 9). The line is centered around the central business district, linking it with Automobile Alley and Midtown to the north, Scissortail Park (and the new Hotel and Conference Center) to the south and Bricktown to the southeast. Changing Downtown Commuting Patterns The commuting pattern for downtown residents is slowly shifting away from traditional auto transportation and toward non-traditional forms such as cycling, walking and working from home. An additional 841 new working residents are reported in the downtown study area from 2010 to 2017. Consistent with traditional commuting patterns, approximately two-thirds of the new residents drive to work, either alone or carpool. However, the share of these workers using an auto dropped about two percentage points in the period, from 83.8 percent in 2010 to 81.7 percent in 2017. Other gradual shifts in the means of transportation are visible downtown. Among the new residents in the study area is an increase of almost 300 persons walking to work. Nearly 500 residents (10 percent) in the downtown study area now report walking as their primary form of commuting to work, a doubling relative to 2010. Offsetting the gains in walking are small reductions in those taking public
transportation or using a taxi, motorcycle or other means. Streetcar Area Economic Profile – Three-Block Impact Zone The introduction of the streetcar system carries clear economic development goals: 1. Boost the overall quality of life for all Oklahoma City residents 2. Leverage private economic development through public investment
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