July-August_2021 - 29

Mobility
EMBARK PLUS offers paratransit services to customers.
Rider
2020 Survey
Results
55.3%
have been riding
area transit
for more than
two years
implementation of traffic signal
priority. EMBARK has identified
491 signalized intersections within
its system and, with current
funding, believes it will be able
to equip all its buses and at least
half of the identified intersections
with traffic signal priority.
" That's where you can really
make up ground and improve
a fixed-route system without
a whole lot of infrastructure,
but with technology, " said Ferbrache.
" The other thing people
need to think about with traffic
signal priority is, not only will it
make our service more reliable
and help us pick up a little time,
but there is the safety aspect, as
well. The less stops we make with
automobiles right behind us, the
safer we will be. "
The third group of transit projects
through the MAPS 4 program
will deliver BRT corridors, park
and rides and microtransit. Like
the 2030 Fixed Guideway Plan,
the MAPS 4 language provides
EMBARK with the right amount
of flexibility to best meet shifting
transit needs.
" We purposely used language
in [the MAPS 4] resolution to not
identify a certain corridor or a
certain street. We know it makes
sense to have a BRT serving south
Oklahoma City but based on our
community's change, is the exact
alignment studied in 2005 still the
best option? Probably not, so we
will go through an alternatives
analysis and determine where a
corridor would best serve the community, "
explained Ferbrache. " I
fully expect all three projects will
come to fruition - additional BRT,
park and rides and microtransit -
but we have flexibility in how much
we invest in each. "
The next big project coming
quickly into reality is Northwest
BRT, the city's first BRT corridor.
The project is currently in the 60
percent engineering design phase
with engineering expected to be
completed by next spring. Construction
is scheduled to begin
in 2022 with service beginning
in the fall of 2023.
" For our organization,
it's a
great and a unique opportunity, as
a transit professional, where you're
63.3%
do not have a
valid driver's
license
70.8%
have an annual
income below
$20,000
79%
are very satisfied
or satisfied
with a feeling
of safety while
riding the bus
77%
are very satisfied
or satisfied
with EMBARK's
COVID-19 safety
precautions and
procedures
Credit: 2020 ETC Institute
" It also comes back
to our vision, which
is to be world class
transportation that is
accessible to all, and
all want to access it. "
-JASON FERBRACHE
able to bring new modes to your
community, " said Ferbrache. " We
didn't have streetcar before 2018,
we've never done BRT and even
things like park and rides - we
do not have a dedicated park and
ride in Oklahoma City for transit.
There is going be a lot of 'firsts' for
us as an agency and as a community
in the next five to 10 years. "
When he contemplates what
success looks like in the future
for EMBARK, Ferbrache arrives
on the concept of choice. Not only
choice and transport options for the
63 percent of current riders who do
not own vehicles, but for those who
do have access to a private vehicle,
but want to leave it parked.
" It also comes back to our vision,
which is to be world class
transportation that is accessible
to all, and all want to access it, "
explained Ferbrache. " When we
have essential service easily accessible
to those who need it and
when you have people who have
automobiles, but they choose to
use transit, that's when we've
done our job. That's when I feel
like our board and the city council
can really say 'you made a difference
here'. "
JULY/AUGUST 2021 | MassTransitmag.com | Mass Transit | 29
http://www.MassTransitmag.com
July-August_2021

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