LOLJENKS: I can has Jenks Passenger Rail?

[we vs us]

Note from admin, for actual passenger rail discussion, go here: http://tulsanow.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8602

From Tulsa Business.com

Slipped under the radar with all the new stadium talk.  Looks like it ain't the BA after all that has INCOG transit wonks aflutter . . . it's the OTHER side of the river!

quote: River Line Passenger Rail Service Proposed

Jenks residents are learning more about a study being conducted by the Indian Nations Council of Governments that proposes rail passenger service from the hub of the metro along the Arkansas River to Jenks.

Tim Armer and Patrick Fox with INCOG told attendees at the Jenks Chamber of Commerce luncheon last week that much of the planning is still in its formative stages but part of the Metro's long range transportation planning program calls for a passenger service on upgraded Union Pacific rails.

INCOG repeated the presentation at Tuesday night's City Council meeting.

Tulsa Sapulpa Union Railway currently operates a freight service to Kimberly-Clarke two times a day on the route being referred to in the study as the River Line.

The Journal asked the presenters if they had talked to the current operators of the railroad.

Fox said they have talked to Union Pacific and will soon be talking to TSU which is headquartered in Sapulpa.

TSU as well as Sand Springs Railroad also operates on other existing rail within the plan that INCOG says would make creating passenger service feasible. Armer and Fox said that using existing rail was key to keeping costs down but the rails would have to be upgraded to carry much faster moving passenger trains.

The study is looking at the 1,200 square-mile Tulsa Transportation Management Area.

TMA is comprised of Tulsa County and portions of Creek, Osage, Rogers, and Wagoner counties. The area includes the cities of Bixby, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Claremore, Collinsville, Coweta, Fair Oaks, Glenpool, Jenks, Kiefer, Owasso, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Skiatook, Sperry, Verdigris and Tulsa.

Maps, handouts and powerpoint was used to show details of the study.

Armer said that among the reasons to advance the idea of rail passenger service was the ever-increasing cost of gasoline and traffic congestion.

He said the 2000 census data also shows the need to p[lan now. The Tulsa metropolitan area has 701,580 residents, all needing reliable, convenient, and safe transportation opportunities, he said.

The duo said that Destination 2030 LRTP looks 25 years into the future to anticipate transportation needs for the TMA. The plan is predicated on demographic and economic assumptions and forecasts for the region. It identifies the various elements of the surface transportation systems (roadways, public transportation/transit, freight and bicycle/pedestrian) desired for a metropolitan community like Tulsa.

They said that Tulsa as a city is growing much slower than its suburbs, Tulsa about 4 percent and towns like Jenks, 55 percent. A rail system servicing Jenks would lend itself to development along the route on the west side of the River but also create development at eastward connectors along the way.

Plans for utilizing rail transportation also show up in plans for the billion-dollar River District Development in Jenks.

Armer said that funding for startup and maintenance of rail transportation has the ear of the federal government. To ensure financial feasibility, the LRTP (long range transportation plan) summarizes implementation costs and presents what the two called a "practicable funding scenario."

In handout material, INCOG says the LRTP will serve as a guide for the investment of local, state and federal resources and will become a component of the Oklahoma Statewide Intermodal Transportation Plan.

[sgrizzle]

Well with Jenks having bad news on the stadium and toll bridge side on the same dat, it's nice they got something possibly going there way.

[Renaissance]

Phenomenal subject line.  I love it.  Just made this one up:

[we vs us]

quote:Originally posted by Floyd

Phenomenal subject line.  I love it.  Just made this one up:

LOLJENKS!

[Renaissance]

I love it!  We should make a bunch of LOLJENKS pics.

Poor Lynn Mitchell and Randy Hogan . . .

[sgrizzle]

[Renaissance]

Comedic GOLD.

(If you don't get it, read up on internets humor.  

Start with macros: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_macro
And then check out the lolcat subgenre: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolcat
And then read a Slate slideshow with commentary: http://www.slate.com/id/2166338/
And then check them out and create your own: http://icanhascheezburger.com/

/geekout)

[sgrizzle]

[Ibanez]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

Well with Jenks having bad news on the stadium and toll bridge side on the same dat, it's nice they got something possibly going there way.

what was the news on the bridge? I must have missed it.

Man...what I wouldn't give to be able to park at a car park in Bixby, happen to live there but it could be any suburb, and jump on a train to my job downtown.

[sgrizzle]

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by wavoka

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

Well with Jenks having bad news on the stadium and toll bridge side on the same dat, it's nice they got something possibly going there way.

what was the news on the bridge? I must have missed it.

Man...what I wouldn't give to be able to park at a car park in Bixby, happen to live there but it could be any suburb, and jump on a train to my job downtown.

http://tulsanow.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8599

[pfox]

Well, this thread devolved rather quickly.  So much for an informative discussion on the subject.

[Admin]

pfox, et al Try here:

http://tulsanow.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8602

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by pfox

Well, this thread devolved rather quickly.  So much for an informative discussion on the subject.

now THAT is funny.

[Renaissance]

Um, sorry?  But it WAS funny.  See you on the other thread--I would love to hear what you have to say.