Three new shelters at busy EMBARK bus stops and an upgraded crosswalk have been installed in northeast Oklahoma City thanks to an air quality grant.
The $37,000 comes from the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) Air Quality Small Grant Program.
“Improving air quality in Central Oklahoma has been a decades-long goal in our organization,” said ACOG Deputy Director John Sharp. “The air quality in the neighborhoods surrounding these new bus shelters will see an improvement, because when people feel safer riding the bus, the fewer single-occupancy vehicles are on the road. It leads to less ozone forming pollutants and better air quality.”
The bus shelters went to existing high-traffic bus stops near employment centers and the City Planning Department’s Strong Neighborhood Initiative (SNI) areas. SNI is a neighborhood revitalization program that works with residents and businesses to holistically improve their neighborhoods with physical, social and economic investments.
The new bus shelters are:
- Westbound NE 13th Street west of Lottie Avenue, near the Innovation District and the Culbertson’s East Highland SNI neighborhood (Route 002 inbound, Stop ID 322).
- Southbound Lincoln Boulevard south of NE 29th Street, near the State Capitol and the Capitol View SNI neighborhood (Route 003 inbound, Stop ID 2285).
- Southbound Kelley Avenue south of NE 23rd Street, near the State Capitol and the Capitol View SNI neighborhood (Route 018 inbound, Stop ID 3755).
The crosswalk at NE 30th Street and Lincoln Boulevard was re-striped and serves the same areas.
“SNI is working closely with the neighborhoods directly adjacent to the newly installed bus shelters,” said City Transportation Program Planner Lakesha Dunbar. “Improved public transportation infrastructure has been requested by each neighborhood as a strategy to improve the quality of life for people who live and use transit in the area.”
The three bus shelters are in the top third of ridership at EMBARK’s 1,300+ bus stops.
“Bus shelters benefit the community by improving access to essential services, especially for those with mobility issues,” said Dunbar. “They increase visibility of pedestrians riding the bus, and create a safe place to wait with protection from harsh weather.”
Visit embarkok.com for bus routes, trip planning and more about the EMBARK bus system.
About ACOG
The Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) was established in 1966 and is the leading voice for regional collaboration in Central Oklahoma. Comprised of local governments that include 49 cities and four counties (Canadian, Cleveland, Logan and Oklahoma), ACOG’s mission is to advocate for regional cooperation and address common issues; solve mutual problems and promote efficient government services; and strive to improve the quality of life in Central Oklahoma.
ACOG, as the designated regional planning agency for Central Oklahoma, provides a forum for elected officials to come together and solve common problems. With local elected official guidance and consent, it also administers and manages the state and federal grant programs for which it receives funds. Through various grant funding mechanisms, membership dues, and service fees, ACOG administers four major service areas: Transportation Planning Services (Metropolitan Planning Organization – MPO), 9-1-1 & Public Safety, Community & Economic Development, and Water Resources.
For more information on ACOG and the Air Quality Small Grant Program, visit acogok.org.
# # #
Media Contact
Rachel Meinke, ACOG
(405) 234-2264
rmeinke@acogok.org
