Riders, advocates urge COPTA not to eliminate Route 19; propose extending Route 15 or targeted microtransit

At a May 2 public hearing convened by the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority, riders, housing advocates and the Alliance for Public Transportation urged officials not to eliminate Route 19 and to preserve or replace morning and evening service on Route 24. The board did not have a quorum and made no formal decision.

Speakers repeatedly said Route 19 is the only practical transit link for many Spencer-area residents to reach health care, jobs and other essential services. “There’s no way that I can get there any other way except through Route 19,” said Lynette Morris, a rider who said she depends on the route to reach medical appointments at Mary Mahoney Medical and Dental Center.

Advocates offered concrete alternatives to outright elimination. “Extend Route 15 into Route 19…make it run every 45 minutes,” said Sonarisa Noweki, speaking for the Alliance for Public Transportation (APT). Larry Hopper, an APT volunteer, and several other speakers recommended rerouting or increasing frequency on Route 15 (currently described by riders as having an 80‑minute turnaround) so it could serve Spencer and Mary Mahoney instead of cutting Route 19 outright. William Ginn, a Midwest City resident, said the current Route 15 turnaround “gets me to work either way too early or way too late,” and that a merger with Route 19 would improve access.

Speakers also warned that microtransit proposals and demand-response options should be coordinated with fixed-route termini before cuts occur. Bill Tunnell, an APT board member speaking in his capacity as an employee of Catholic Charities, said, “It seems inefficient to do micro transit unless we have already figured out what the end terminus of whatever remaining bus lines are.” Multiple speakers asked the agency to identify a clear transfer point (APT members suggested the 36/Douglas area near Walmart) to support any microtransit feeder service.

Public commenters emphasized vulnerable populations in the affected area: residents of public housing (Fred Factory and nearby units), people experiencing homelessness, older adults and people with disabilities who rely on longer fixed-route links to reach doctors, employment and social services. “Eliminating this route cuts off an entire population already facing barriers,” Noweki said.

Trustees and staff told speakers the budget process is ongoing and encouraged continued public engagement. A trustee noted the city manager has requested a 4.5% reduction across city department budgets and said rider testimony is useful during the city budget hearings. Because COPTA did not have the five trustees required for a quorum, the authority did not vote on Route 19 or Route 24 today and instead opened the hearing to collect public comments.

The meeting record shows several recurring proposals from the public: extend Route 15 to serve Spencer and Mary Mahoney and increase frequency to approximately every 45 minutes; identify a fixed-route terminus to anchor any microtransit feeder; preserve or expand morning and evening peak spans on Route 24 if midday service is reduced; and pursue coordinated funding with partner agencies (DHS, Oklahoma City Housing Authority) before service cuts.

The authority concluded the hearing with a pledge to ask staff to explore mitigation options and encouraged riders and advocates to participate in the city budget process. No motion or formal action was taken at the May 2 session because of the lack of quorum.