Community Planning & Transportation Committee, 10/22/26

The Community Planning & Transportation Committee of the City of Norman, Oklahoma, met on October 22, 2026, to review public transit and transportation projects. Staff reported that the Council had approved replacement of Embark Norman vehicle 2065 and related resolutions supporting grant applications. Applications being pursued include an FTA grant for regional paratransit coordination, a CAD/AVL technology upgrade for fixed-route buses, and FTA Bus and Bus Facilities funding to replace three paratransit vehicles due for replacement in about a year. Staff said the grant strategy is intended to maximize federal funding and reduce local costs. The committee also discussed a possible comprehensive review of transit services, including on-demand service, and future transit funding, but no new budget allocation or procurement action was approved at this meeting.

Staff also presented an update on Norman’s Traffic Management Center, which began operating in April 2026 using part-time student operators paid approximately $15–$18 per hour. The center monitors signals and cameras, supports incident and special-event traffic management, and is part of a project initially included in the 2019 bond program; staff said safety funding covered costs up to a cap, with a city match also required. Future plans include corridor signal retiming, traveler-information signs, and additional CCTV camera phases, with grant funding being pursued. Members discussed the center’s results, staffing, and video-retention and access practices; no contract award or new spending vote was reported.