Join ACOG for a November 18 Public Meeting at OKC’s Santa Fe Station

On Tuesday, November 18 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., everyone is invited to the historic Santa Fe Station (100 South E.K. Gaylord Boulevard) in downtown Oklahoma City to talk about the future of transportation in Central Oklahoma. The Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) is developing a metropolitan transportation plan to guide local, state, and federal investments through 2040. The public meeting will provide the opportunity for the public to contribute to the direction of Central Oklahoma’s transportation system.

Evolving Land Use in Central Oklahoma

The Association of Central Oklahoma Governments has recently completed its latest inventory of land use in the Oklahoma City Area Regional Transportation Study (OCARTS) area. Collected every five years as part of the agency’s comprehensive planning efforts, this GIS dataset seeks to broadly classify how land is being used in the region; this information is an essential input to scenario modeling, travel demand modeling, and many other analyses. As with many inputs to the agency’s upcoming metropolitan transportation plan, this dataset is intended to represent 2010—the base year for the plan.

ACOG Launches Air Quality Awareness Grants

Monday, April 28^th through Friday, May 2^nd was Air Quality Awareness Week, five days of air quality public education and awareness that served to kick-off the prime months of ground-level ozone pollution in Central Oklahoma. It was during that week the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments first announced the availability of Air Quality Awareness Grants, offering an overall minimum of $75,000 for small active transportation infrastructure projects and public education programs to raise awareness about our region’s air quality.

Month of May Dedicated to Public Engagement for CentralOK!go Study

The Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) is nearing completion of a study on future transit opportunities for the Central Oklahoma region.

The commuter corridors study, known as CentralOK!go, is the next step in the federal planning process for evaluating the feasibility of a regional transit system. This study will provide more in-depth analysis and information concerning an alignment, technology, ridership forecasts, estimated costs, and potential funding sources for each of the three corridors being studied.

CentralOK!go began in early 2013 and is scheduled to be completed this summer. With input from local communities and stakeholders, we are identifying options for moving people throughout the region.

Travel Time Data Brings New Transportation Analysis Capabilities to ACOG

Ever-increasing amounts of data about our transportation system are becoming available to transportation planners, and analysis of this data is revealing patterns and informing critical infrastructure decisions. Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), the current federal transportation law, places increased emphasis on performance management within the Federal-aid highway program and transit programs, and requires use of performance-based approaches in statewide, metropolitan, and non-metropolitan transportation planning. As a first step to implementing a performance based planning process (PBPP), ACOG is currently determining appropriate congestion measures for the Central Oklahoma region which will be reported in the Congestion Management Process. The goal of the CMP is to outline the state of congestion in the Central Oklahoma region and develop recommendations for managing traffic congestion based on detailed data analysis, that in turn will impact proposed roadway construction projects included in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the goals and objectives identified in what will be Encompass 2040, the region’s next long-range transportation plan.

ACOG Receives Funding for Transportation Management Center Workshop

The Association of Central Oklahoma Governments has received funding to host a transportation management center (TMC) workshop for the Central Oklahoma region. As part of the Technology and Innovation Deployment Program funds allocated through MAP-21, ACOG has been awarded $6,500 to host a regional workshop to initiate development of a TMC. The goal of the workshop will be to raise the level of knowledge and awareness of local and state elected officials and decision makers on the benefits of a regional TMC.

Why Transit Matters: The Effects on Quality of Life

Over the past few months, this series has explored the quantitative reasons why public transportation benefits communities.  We looked at the reduction in traffic volumes and daily miles driven, the economic development impacts from enhanced transit service, and the benefits to air quality and the environment.  In the final part of the series, we will explore how public transportation can increase the quality of life for those living in the Central Oklahoma region.

ACOG Releases RFA for FY 2014 CLEAN AIR Grants Projects

Applications for projects are now being accepted under ACOG’s FY 2014 CLEAN AIR Grants for Public Sector Fleets solicitation. This round of grant funding contains $500,000 to assist with the purchase of alternative fuel vehicles and advanced technology vehicles, and alternative fueling stations and electric vehicle charging equipment.

Public Meetings Announced for Changes to METRO Transit Service, Fare

The Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority (COTPA) will hold eight public meetings in early October regarding proposed changes to METRO Transit’s service as well as proposed fare increases. The proposed changes are intended to achieve improved frequency, better connections and improved on-time performance but do include the elimination of three existing routes.

Edmond Sets Public Meetings on Proposed Citylink Changes

The City of Edmond will conduct two public meetings on Thursday, October 17^th to hear comments from citizens regarding proposed reductions of service to the Citylink Access Paratransit Service (CAPS) program. Citylink is proposing a reduction of its CAPS service area from citywide to ¾ mile around each fixed route.