Embark board sets public hearing on proposed elimination of Route 19, reduction of Route 24

The Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority voted to adopt a resolution authorizing a public hearing on a proposal to eliminate Route 19 and reduce service on Route 24, the authority’s staff said. The board scheduled the hearing for its May 2 meeting and said it will hold community outreach meetings before then.

Advocates who spoke during the meeting’s public-comment period urged Embark staff and trustees to pursue alternatives rather than cutting service in eastern Oklahoma County and Midwest City. Larry Hopper of the Alliance for Public Transportation said staff intends to eliminate Route 19 around July 1 and recommended extending Route 15 to cover the most active portions of Route 19 — particularly service to Spencer — or temporarily detouring 15 while a longer-term solution is developed. “You have a very, very low income and minority community out there in Spencer and to the east in Oklahoma City,” Hopper said, urging solutions that preserve connections to Mary Mahoney and other community services.

Laverne “Peaches” Weller, treasurer of the Alliance for Public Transportation and a nonprofit staffer, said the group has sought direct engagement with Embark about proposed changes and requested a named staff contact to facilitate discussion. Bill Tannell, who said he works for Catholic Charities and sits on the Alliance board, told trustees the elimination of Route 19 would reduce system connectivity because it currently links other routes; he urged that any hearing solicit suggestions about extending Route 15 north so connections at third and Douglas are preserved.

Embark staff explained the rationale in a presentation. Chip (Embark staff) said Route 19 was the system’s lowest-performing route in fiscal 2024, with about 12,000 annual passenger trips, an average of 46 riders per day and about 4 riders per service hour; staff said the system-wide per-route average is roughly 100,000 annual trips and 12 riders per service hour. Route 24 — the commuter route serving Norman and Oklahoma City and the OU Health Sciences Center — had about 19,000 annual trips, a daily average of 74 riders and about 4.9 riders per service hour. Staff said the agency plans to concentrate service on the morning and afternoon peaks and reduce off-peak revenue hours by roughly half as part of the proposal.

Staff also told trustees the county-provided funding that historically supported Route 19 will not be realized this fiscal year after a state measure (identified in the presentation as state bill 1931) prevented Oklahoma County from providing the previous interlocal funding. Embark staff noted that the agency had budgeted $125,000 in revenue from Oklahoma County for Route 19 and that the loss of that funding will create a revenue shortfall in the current fiscal year.

Trustees and staff repeatedly said the agency will follow the process in its Title 6 plan for major service changes, including public meetings and a formal hearing. Trustee comments during the meeting included strong objections to service reductions in low-income and majority-minority neighborhoods; one trustee asked staff to develop a targeted outreach plan for the approximately 47 daily riders who currently use Route 19 and to present alternatives such as microtransit or limited paratransit-style connections to Mary Mahoney and nearby facilities. Embark staff said alternatives for seniors and riders with disabilities would be part of public-comment materials and that the agency will present possible mitigation options during the May hearing.

Votes at a glance - Approval to adopt a resolution authorizing a public hearing on the proposed elimination of Route 19 and reduction of Route 24: moved and seconded; voted electronically; motion passed. - (Other board actions taken at the meeting include approval of minutes from the March 7, 2025 COPTA board meeting; approval of four RFPs for actuarial services, tire leasing, marketing services and HR consulting; adoption of the public transportation agency safety plans for Embark bus and Embark OKC streetcar; approval of a change order for the First American Museum Riverboat Landing; ratification and contract award actions for the Embark administrative building renovation; and executive-session actions — see related items and separate articles.)

Why this matters: Route 19 and Route 24 serve low-income neighborhoods and health-care providers in eastern Oklahoma County and Midwest City. Staff framed the proposal as a response to low ridership and the recent loss of county funding; community advocates said changing service will reduce access to health care and jobs unless staff and local governments identify targeted alternatives.

Next steps: Embark will hold community meetings and collect written comments prior to the May 2 board hearing, staff said. Trustees directed staff to include mitigation options and to solicit input on connectivity between routes when the item returns for final action.