Community Planning & Transportation Committee, 4/24/25

The City of Norman's Community Planning & Transportation Committee met on April 24, 2025, to discuss several key transportation and public transit issues. The meeting included a detailed review of the March ridership report for Embark and Norman On Demand services, highlighting a significant increase in ridership and ongoing budget constraints. Staff discussed potential budget adjustments, including a proposed 10-month contract extension with VIA Transit to manage costs and maintain service levels. Public comments raised serious concerns about the new paratransit scheduling software, citing safety issues, ADA violations, and service delays, prompting calls for contract negotiations to address these problems. Additionally, the committee reviewed proposed modifications to two transportation bond projects (48th Avenue Northwest and 24th Avenue Northeast) aimed at reducing costs and environmental impact while maintaining service improvements. Finally, the committee explored alternatives to permanent ballards for event street closures in Campus Corner, favoring a modular, mobile system to improve emergency access and event management. The committee expressed support for pursuing these modular solutions and continuing engagement with stakeholders to refine transit and infrastructure services.