[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6184269,"mediaKeyId","5091555-a0b70ae38e5e4fb54e63cebb955305d4","parentId",5091555,"title","Residents and staff weigh options for 80th Avenue SE/Bluejay Road paving as ownership records remain unclear","audioSeconds",520,"startMs",2371345,"endMs",2891405,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5091555-a0b70ae38e5e4fb54e63cebb955305d4&start=2371&end=2891","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5091555-a0b70ae38e5e4fb54e63cebb955305d4/thumbnail_2371345.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6184269/Norman/Cleveland-County/Oklahoma/Residents-and-staff-weigh-options-for-80th-Avenue-SEBluejay-Road-paving-as-ownership-records-remain-unclear","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6184269-a8515522de070d5226bc197fa92287b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1773453181&Signature=nqyUJw1tvijaVblQzxL7DTqtt9HPyukieNU9taLF6skaMGpPa39UITTVHFyVwnPvoY~IAq9NgAwiers7j18l66qhMqvDtNGNjoSIIyifspFxOcIFrdP2G9cwohhq7BiHnxhNZuCahYYf47hQY6ScxoDsYsKq4WZgqcvbtt9v2HgZ3s~H3M-mTCeaFUyxBPtDhtpxHb5my5QFUbkcYdpK4Q6sJRV4DQ7ANDbZqg~N-Gl~VEj8RygBTpTKo689KzWRVwNPe0GfVuzh~7njp76uRrrg9XnPAqFKuNR4JSGde~o7btJbPoR0FtzIWPwe2t7BUN2xPribukw5zEDER~4W4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Norman, OK","date","2025-06-27T10:08:59Z","article","The Community Planning and Transportation Committee discussed paving and ownership questions for Eightieth Avenue Southeast and Bluejay Road at its June 26 meeting after a Ward 5 resident raised long-standing maintenance concerns.

Randy Carter, a Ward 5 resident who said he has lived on the property since 1979, told the committee he and other homeowners signed easements that were accepted by the county commission on April 9, 1984, and that the county and city jointly paved the road in November 1995. Carter said he has copies of the easements and that county minutes show the commissioner action; he told staff he would share his documentation.

Staff response and record searches: City staff told the committee they had not been able to locate clear documentation in city or county files tying the roadway to city ownership; staff described the road as a private road in the city system with no recorded dedication or easement the city could verify. Staff said there is one recorded document they had found that claimed to sign over right-of-way but they could not confirm its legality or completeness.

Options discussed: City staff described two principal paths discussed with county staff: 1) the county could accept responsibility for repaving the roadway and the city would participate under the existing interlocal agreement (the county often supplies materials while the city supplies asphalt labor, or vice versa depending on the project); or 2) the county could reconstruct and bring the road up to city standards and the city could accept the road for future maintenance if it meets city-code construction requirements. Staff cautioned that the city only accepts private roads when they meet current city standards and that bringing the roadway to city standard likely requires reconstruction from the subgrade up.

Cost, extent and use: Staff and committee members estimated the work needed to bring the roadway to city standard could be substantial; one staff comment put a rough minimum estimate at about $1 million to rebuild to city standards for the full stretch, and staff said the combined stretch is less than one mile. Committee members and staff recommended conducting traffic counts to help weigh cost versus longevity (one staff member noted the roadway lasted roughly 30 years after the 1995 paving). Carter and staff noted current heavy uses, including school buses, garbage trucks and boat trailers heading to nearby lake access points.

Next steps: Staff said they would review Carter’s easement copies, do further record searches, obtain traffic-count data and bring back options (including cost estimates and a recommended funding approach) at a future CPTC meeting. Several committee members also said they had spoken with County Commissioner McCuse, who indicated he was amenable to repaving discussions, though staff emphasized they would not speak for the commissioner and would confirm any county commitments through formal channels.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Community Planning & Transportation Committee, 6/26/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Community Planning and Transportation Committee discussed paving and ownership questions for Eightieth Avenue Southeast and Bluejay Road at its June 26 meeting after a Ward 5 resident raised long-standing maintenance concerns.","taxTitle","Norman, Cleveland County, Oklahoma","taxId",2684,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6184273,"Embark Well program presented as model for Norman: seniors transportation pilot, 5310 funding and Uber use explained",151,1103435,1254935,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5091555-a0b70ae38e5e4fb54e63cebb955305d4&start=1103&end=1254","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5091555-a0b70ae38e5e4fb54e63cebb955305d4/thumbnail_1103435.jpg","/articles/6184273/Norman/Cleveland-County/Oklahoma/Embark-Well-program-presented-as-model-for-Norman-seniors-transportation-pilot-5310-funding-and-Uber-use-explained","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6184273-c9d03c3388fe05de627b94f75c91c0bc/orig.mp4?Expires=1773453181&Signature=mcMxGEJ1fNvXASGjhJ~7dY1sUzp0NWTGiyt1OuHPWz6dbZI9rv82wJSUMeYnupNU7tZzjXXmogrD8w63NJ3CgnUDiecUS6oYS6o1~FHaqEVgqlY7XygogLlN5yyBXHCtewer5rtculhXdBS3erqZxA0EN2SpHq9KXeeWmpeY5yWCQgpCWXEsPO2Fk~qSQWnNU-PP8DxgpSlvZrqVYdBcET3QPBSgY0Qk0fw16Mrl7nnf5k0IExKdCFz8fAKjElMcFRenakkv9I-RA2oXmocDRJEPxbGcDhK2yjpavw2V0-qQ9~Zj68L0~KIdoRamUIHoqM9NX-G3aaMHPDNW0Ul3Ig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Marilyn Dillon, mobility management administrator for Embark, presented the Embark Well senior health-and-wellness transportation program to Norman’s Community Planning and Transportation Committee on June 26, 2025, and outlined how a similar pilot could be structured in Norman.

Why it matters: Embark Well aims to address social determinants of health by giving older adults free rides to exercise classes, nutrition programs and other nonprofit wellness activities; Norman committee members discussed whether a local pilot could fill gaps in accessible, subscription and senior mobility services.

Program features and eligibility: Dillon said Embark Well began as a 2018 pilot funded with roughly $30,000 in Federal Transit Administration grant funds and has grown substantially. In Oklahoma City the service provides transportation to senior centers, YMCA locations and nonprofit wellness programs for residents aged 60 and over at no charge; riders must use the wellness center closest to their home to keep trip costs down.

Funding and scale: Dillon said Embark plans a $90,000 budget for the coming year in Oklahoma City, pairing about $45,000 in local city funding with $45,000 in a Section 5310 (FTA) operating-assistance match to reach the $90,000 total. She described several grant and philanthropic steps the program has used when demand outpaced initial budgets and said a Norman pilot could be smaller, with a reality-check mapping and scenario analysis to estimate trip lengths and costs.

Service model and vehicles: Dillon said Embark presently uses Uber for most ambulatory riders and a contracted lift-equipped TNC for riders needing wheelchair-accessible vehicles; Embark also has three in-house mobility vehicles and intends to phase additional in-house vehicles into the program as grant funding allows. She said Embark has a government account arrangement with Uber and has monitored safety incidents closely.

Outcomes and cost context: Dillon said Oklahoma City’s program will total about 7,500 trips in the current fiscal year and that past case studies showed health improvements among participants. She gave a broad ballpark per-trip cost in Oklahoma City of $7–$12 but said Norman’s cost profile may differ because of geography and trip length; she recommended staff-run scenario analysis before proposing a Norman appropriation.

Committee response and next steps: Committee members suggested potential Norman locations (YMCA, recreation centers, OU pool, Norman Regional Health Center) and asked staff to map likely trip origins and destinations. Dillon and committee members recommended a pilot approach and said staff will return with population counts, scenario costings and potential funding options if the council wishes to proceed.","Dr. Marilyn Dillon described Embark Well, a senior health-and-wellness mobility program in Oklahoma City that uses a mix of Uber and lift-equipped vehicles, serves seniors at nonprofit wellness locations and relies on grants and a planned Section 5310 match. She recommended a small, piloted approach if Norman pursues a similar program.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6184278,"Norman transit ridership up sharply; staff report software fixes, microtransit contract work and transit-center security options",167,21305,188940,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5091555-a0b70ae38e5e4fb54e63cebb955305d4&start=21&end=188","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5091555-a0b70ae38e5e4fb54e63cebb955305d4/thumbnail_21305.jpg","/articles/6184278/Norman/Cleveland-County/Oklahoma/Norman-transit-ridership-up-sharply-staff-report-software-fixes-microtransit-contract-work-and-transit-center-security-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6184278-12d29dd166461e64ddb5331a0a5736a4/orig.mp4?Expires=1773453181&Signature=PokL58Jm1oLv~-iBY7f7vJEJDsGLUycXiamJbZOyWUnF91d6tKDDJmwBgqm-t1~XFzqaD27xc0FLYIXyMVfQ0OpAUdX5XHLi0CNUoS5NB3FlKCQx2CkkPsnBaTvEWawYFpvVR-Ul1OLFZ4JQYvyeSDT6fs0aki3hlpzXuBV-97xKN~YztkGmbOBiyIs8R1daYNgOp4VUyxtuBUko8oC1y2MyCDuOmhynwjwi4uN65-~y044BVr~oyWcyWfP3LIBJazuuBrk4kfhklRFMiCHx-Pk6uA-cYoEjkOLfb2cAPHGgTT3R3fmJ06LwOSPA0bOYF5ciK1r8VdorEbMzcZy6yQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Norman Community Planning and Transportation Committee was updated Thursday, June 26, 2025, on transit performance and operations, including rising ridership, work on microtransit contract amendments and possible changes to transit-center security.

Taylor Johnson, transit parking program manager for the city, told the committee the transit system logged about 42,400 rides in May across paratransit and fixed-route services, roughly a 22% increase over May 2024. He said the system is on track for about 462,000 rides for the fiscal year, “a little less than 27% increase over last fiscal year.”

Why it matters: Johnson said higher ridership strengthens the case for keeping expanded services introduced last year — including restored Saturday service and increased West Lindsay frequency — and affects near-term budget and contract decisions.

Johnson described several operational developments. Staff are working on contract amendments “with both Via and O U to get those in front of council hopefully at the first meeting [in] July” so the city can continue its microtransit program past its second year. He also reported improvements after early problems with a paratransit software transition, saying staff tightened settings after rider and staff meetings and will follow up again in July.

Ridership detail and service efficiency: Johnson said fixed-route ridership showed notable gains at several routes (Westheimer, Rock Creek and West Lindsay), and described ridership per service hour on fixed route at about 20 riders per service hour in May, up from about 18 last May. He said Embark Plus (the demand-responsive/paratransit program) carried roughly the same number of trips in May year over year (about 2,150 in May 2025 versus 2,110 in May 2024) while Norman on Demand saw “almost 3,400 rides” in May compared with 2,567 the prior May; staff reported ridership-per-service-hour for Norman on Demand of about 5.8 for May and 6.1 fiscal-year to date.

Equipment and accessibility: Johnson said nearly all fixed-route buses now have the Quantum securement system that speeds boarding and gives more independence to riders who use wheelchairs, except for two older buses inherited from the University of Oklahoma.

Transit center security and facilities: Johnson said the transit center restroom was reopened after installing a different toilet style and that public-safety staffing covers the restroom when security is on duty. Security coverage is currently noon to 8 p.m. Monday–Friday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; Johnson and committee members discussed moving the weekday start time earlier to about 11 a.m. to match higher morning traffic. He said adding security is a budget question and that the current contract add-on for security is about $88,000 per year; staff said increasing coverage would not be exactly double that figure but would raise costs and would require an appropriation if additional funding becomes available.

Next steps and staff direction: Committee members asked staff to continue incident analysis and to return with budget implications and contract amendments. Johnson said the city received its FY2025 federal allocation that staff will program through ACOG and the usual grant process; he said staff had not been told of any federal funding decreases but could not guarantee future budgets.

Staff emphasized that many changes under discussion — contract amendments, security-hour changes and any expansion of weekend or Sunday service — depend on council appropriations, grant programming and final contract terms.","City staff told the Community Planning and Transportation Committee on June 26 that May ridership rose year over year and fiscal-year ridership is up about 27%. Staff said they are working on microtransit contract amendments, tightening paratransit software issues and reviewing transit-center security hours and costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents and staff weigh options for 80th Avenue SE/Bluejay Road paving as ownership records remain unclear

Embark Well program presented as model for Norman: seniors transportation pilot, 5310 funding and Uber use explained

Norman transit ridership up sharply; staff report software fixes, microtransit contract work and transit-center security options