Forgive my ignorance. Since the Santa Fe Station is elevated, I am unsure how it could become a hub for the streecar. Would that not be on ground level? The only ground level space I see is that occupied by and adjacent to Envy. Are there elevators, and would it be easy to add escalators? If we had the hub there, is there room for expansion? I did see a mention by someone that ultimately the Cox Center could be used as a hub, and those two could certainly be easily linked, but I would think if we’re thinking about using the Santa Fe station as a hub, we’ve got to have some plans for expansion. The location is great, certainly.

Glad you’re back.

Jill, thanks for your support and enthusiasm for the streetcar project. I had hoped to meet you at the Skirvin event but didn’t make it around to everyone.

The enthusiasts behind the Union Station proposal ardently believe that SanteFe is not big enough for ALL of the potential rail transit uses/needs for the future Metro area. That is why you haven’t heard a large outcry for the re-use of SanteFe.

However, the question then becomes, what will the demand be? How much room do we need? The Modern Transit Project communicated with the OnTrac organization as it appeared that the Union Station cause was losing steam.

Both organizations agreed that supporting the need for the technical analysis of these questions would be a prudent move to establishing a comprehensive rail hub. That lobby effort met with positive response and the OKC City Council recently approved a resolution asking ACOG (Association of Central Oklahoma Governments) to pursue the study of hub size, location, and potential growth.

The council discussed the issue at length and made clear to staff that their desire was for an independent study by a private firm with expertise in these technical matters rather than an internal COTPA or ODoT study.

The advantage to SanteFe is undeniably the prime location of where it sits. It is also a very beautiful building with Amtrak service/infrastructure already interfaced to it. Hopefully, this study will act as a guide to help us develop a comprehensive “nexus” that is expandable as we grow as a city.

Regarding the streetcar, yes it is at ground level. To access Amtrak or future commuter trains would mean entering the station and utilizing the existing stairs, wheelchair ramp, or elevator to get to the Amtrak train.

Accessing potential commuter lines would currently require crossing two freight tracks on foot, which is obviously dangerous. However, this station boasts a central tunnel (subway) with several stairwells to former platforms where the commuter tracks might be located. This infrastructure is currently hidden and buried with dirt. It could be excavated and reinstated negating pedestrians crossing the freight tracks.

Most people do not know that this exists. This blog may be the first place where this becomes common knowledge.

I think a more exciting possibility is if you broke through the exterior tunnel wall, you would end up with an entrance in Bricktown. I would suggest that the structure shown above be located on the Bricktown side as an ADA elevator and possibly additional stairs would be required.

The Streetcar could easily interface with this building. A short walk and ride on an elevator, stairs, or escalator would would provide a direct connection.

So, I personally feel that SanteFe may be an undiscovered treasure that acts as a great staring nexus for a regional transit hub. However, only the independent study can reveal that. I do understand that there are obvious growth considerations and track space of which will have to be projected and analyzed to determine the viability of this building and rail yard.

It is important that the public know that we are on our way to establishing where a new center might be. Even if SanteFe is not the solution, the same level of ease and direct connectivity should be designed into any new building.

Wow, Jeff, I did not know that about the Santa Fe Station. The idea of opening to the Bricktown side and opening up tunnels sounds very exciting. I’d been interested in seeing the hub somewhere around the cotton gin location because of its better accessibility to Bricktown and the CBD than Union Station, but the Santa Fe location is clearly optimal, if the problems you mentioned could be solved.

[...] image, worked on over 7 years ago, has a mind of its own in regards to where it appears. I’m hoping it’s getting people to say “what if,” because initially it was [...]