Oklahoma Freight and Passenger Rail Plan
FAQs

Additional comments on the Oklahoma Freight and Passenger Rail Plan will be accepted through May 2011.

WHO WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE STATE RAIL PLANNING PROCESS?

The State of Oklahoma Freight and Passenger Rail Plan will highlight and gather all of the hard work and efforts that have been undertaken statewide with intrastate partners like city entities, metropolitan planning organizations, citizens groups, and of course we will get out across the state to host meetings and provide opportunities for our great citizens and elected officials to participate as well. Additional involvement will be offered to shippers, rail customers, surrounding states, AMTRAK, all of our Class I and Class III railroads, and the Federal Railroad Administration. This is by no means a complete list, but it gives a brief overview of all of the rail interests, both passenger and freight, in the State of Oklahoma.

WHAT WILL THE OKLAHOMA FREIGHT AND PASSENGER RAIL PLAN LOOK AT?

The State Rail Plan is to address a broad spectrum of issues covering both the freight rail industry as well as the passenger rail network. In summary, it will provide an analysis of rail’s transportation/economic/and environmental impacts in the State, as well as generate a long-range investment program for current and future freight and passenger rail infrastructure throughout the State. It will also address supporting aspects of Oklahoma’s rail industry by examining intermodal infrastructure, safety, and security issues. The Federal Railroad Administration and the United States Department of Transportation will establish minimum requirements for the overall plan.

WHEN AND WHERE?

The Oklahoma Freight and Passenger Rail Plan will take approximately a year to complete, and we expect to be done in fall of 2011. We will host a series of open houses in February of this year. SEE HERE FOR DETAILS.

WHY DOES THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA NEED A STATE RAIL PLAN?

ODOT last completed a State Rail Plan in 1992. However, in 2008 the Federal Government enacted the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act which requires states to create and maintain an up-to-date statewide rail plan. The aim of PRIIA is to create a more efficient and more robust national rail system for both freight and passenger rail across the United States. PRIIA tasks States with producing a State Rail Plan to set policy involving both freight and passenger rail transportation within its boundaries, establish priorities and implementation strategies to enhance rail service in the public interest, and serve as the basis for Federal and State rail investments within the State.