The Mayor, Downtown and the Questions
Last night was rather interesting. As promised, Mayor Mick Cornett appeared at the monthly meeting of Urban Neighbors and answered questions that had been submitted in advance by the group’s members.
I’m not sure I’ve heard such a strong stance before from the mayor concerning light rail – but he’s suggesting he will push for it to be included in a MAPS 3. Of course, we also now know we might not see a MAPS 3 until at least 2010. Cornett seems to have little interest in creating the sort of light rail that would stretch out to Edmond, Norman and Midwest City – at least not without those towns paying for luch a link. His vision, as expressed last night, calls for a downtown circulator and one that would serve tourists.
Some questions I suggested in Tuesday’s column went unasked. I’m listing them below and I’m emailing them to the mayor’s aide, David Holt, to see if Mayor Cornett might be interested in answering them anyway. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Here are the questions:
- If the Bricktown Canal is considered one of the most photographed areas of the city, why the delay replacing trees lost in the recent ice storms? Can’t MAPS maintenance funds be used to bring back the greenery?
- Are you aware of the buildings in MidTown and Bricktown that have had broken windows for years, and if so, aren’t these properties in violation of the city’s code ordinances?
- What is the timetable for moving the city’s detox center, which is surrounded by condominiums and apartments in Deep Deuce?
- Civic leaders often point to the Santa Fe Parking Garage as a good alternative to parking in Bricktown. But do you think the lighting and pedestrian access along E.K. Gaylord Boulevard is inviting to such use?
- If given a choice between the building designs in Lower Bricktown and those used in Edmond’s Spring Creek shopping center, which do you think stands out as superior architecture?
- In light of Devon Energy planning to build a new corporate headquarters downtown, do you have a favorite skyscraper you would love to see mimicked in Oklahoma City?
- How difficult is the task ahead for a full revival of fortunes at First National Center?
- If you could live at one of the new downtown housing projects, which one would you choose?
- If parking isn’t a big problem downtown, where do you park when going to Bricktown on a busy night?
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Of course OKC shouldn’t pay the whole way for a regional multimodal rail transit system.
The correct answer is, “I’m going to ask Oklahoma City’s representatives in the legistlature to authorize a regional vote on either establishing a regional transit agency, or authorizing and directing COTPA/Metro Transit to take on rail transit (light rail and commuter rail, as appropriate) in the region.
Failing the EPA air quality threshold would impose costs all across the region, on citizens and businesses alike. Having access to rail transit would likewise be a region-wide benefit, for the rail users and for drivers experiencing lower traffic and lower demand for fuel. So it’s in the interest of Edmond, MWC, Norman, and yes, OKC to get together and solve this problem.