05-02-2025
Vote on sales tax for commuter rail between OKC, Edmond and Norman delayed
Vote on sales tax for commuter rail between OKC, Edmond and Norman delayed
A sales tax election for a proposed regional transit system is being delayed a year as studies are set to start on improving crossings along the BNSF corridor that is being eyed as a commuter rail link between Edmond, Oklahoma City and Norman.
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $400,000 to the Regional Transportation Authority of Central Oklahoma to evaluate 52 at-grade crossings along the corridor.
The time needed to conduct that study, along with coordinating timing of an election with member cities, is cited as the reasoning for not scheduling an election for this spring as previously planned.
Brad Henry, board chairman of the transit authority, said the election will likely be set in 2026.
'When you finally get all of our partner cities together and their leadership, it becomes much trickier than what we had hoped,' Henry said. 'Each city has their own set of referendum previously scheduled. The earliest we're looking at, based on our latest discussion, is for early to mid-2026.'
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Trump's federal funding shakeup could impact the project
More uncertainty surrounds the shift from a White House run by Joe Biden, a longtime advocate of passenger rail, to Donald Trump.
'The local referendum will just be for our match to federal dollars,' Henry said. 'We're hoping the feds will pay for at least 50% of this.'
The Biden administration allocated federal 'RAISE' grant funding for commuter rail systems in Arizona, California, Michigan, New York and Washington in 2024. Henry said the transit authority's consultants are tracking any potential changes in federal funding for transportation.
'We are concerned about the change in administrations,' Henry said. 'It's no secret the Biden administration was enthusiastic about transit. We don't think the Trump administration will be negative at all. But they may have different priorities. On the other hand, they may be more willing to mitigate the regulatory difficulties we might face.'
The Regional Transportation Authority plan is to add commuter rail between Edmond and Norman along the north-south BNSF tracks, a new commuter rail between downtown Oklahoma City and the OKC Will Rogers International Airport, and a bus rapid transit line between downtown Oklahoma City and Tinker Air Force Base.
The plan also includes a bus rapid transit route traveling from downtown Oklahoma City along NW 10 and Reno Avenue with likely termination at a future park-and-ride at SW 15 and the Kilpatrick Turnpike.
The $400,000 grant through the Railroad Crossing Elimination Program will be added to a 20% match from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
Regional transit Director Jason Ferbrache said the grant will pay for evaluating crossings and determine which ones will need upgrades to improve traffic and advance commuter rail planning.
The prospect of improving crossings and adding sidetracks is seen as a potential selling point to voters.
'If we're going to have a timely and efficient commuter rail system, we can't have trains parked on the railway,' Henry said. 'We plan to fix that, which will benefit not just transit riders but will be more beneficial to drivers. There will be something for everyone in our ultimate plan.'
