The head of Tulsa’s passenger rail task force says the city is ready to take the last step toward having service into downtown.
Former city councilor Rick Westcott said Iowa Pacific needs the state’s designation as the official passenger carrier, and for that to happen, they need a terminal.
"The folks at Iowa Pacific tell me all they need is 1,000 square feet, just a structure to get people out of the weather, let them buy a ticket and wait for the train," Westcott said.
Westcott wants the city’s help setting up meetings between the rail carrier and downtown property owners. He said Iowa Pacific has enough interest in setting up passenger service that it won’t be looking for financial incentives.
Even if BNSF Railway, the owner of the line between Sapulpa and downtown Tulsa doesn't want to play ball, there may be a solution. Westcott said just a few years ago, it was estimated building a line to bypass the privately owned stretch holding up service into downtown would cost almost $15 million dollars.
"It's still not a great deal of money," Westcott said. "I don't want to minimize $15 million, but it's not like it's going to cost $100 million. If that were done, the city would own that track from Sapulpa to downtown."
He said even if the costs have gone up 20 percent, building a bypass line would be around $17 million.
Westcott also thinks it’s time for Tulsa to start looking at a commuter rail system to suburbs like Owasso. He told city councilors this week the lines exist, and the city just needs to negotiate rights-of-way.
"And with some expense, of course, involved in buying rolling stock and administering the service, we could have true, meaningful, intercity public transportation within a few months or a year," Westcott said.
