Norman Transit Center nearing competition in Downtown

Aerial of the downtown transit-center block outlined in red, with a building and parking near the railroad and surrounding retail.

The City of Norman is nearing completion of its new Transit Center in Downtown. The center will have a ribbon cutting on October 12 with officially open October 16, coinciding with the start of the new bus route network.

The catalyst for both the purchase and the new route network was the adoption of the Go Norman Transit Plan by Council in 2021. The plan included recommendations to “Update and streamline the route network” and “Establish a Downtown Transit Center” among other items.

The City purchased the former bank drive through at 320 E Comanche Street from JPMorgan Chase Bank, the successor to Liberty National Bank, for $535,000 in March 2022. Stronghold Construction LLC was contracted to complete the $875,000 remodel of the building to accommodate the new use.

The building will add many enhancements to the City’s operation for passengers including indoor and outdoor seating areas, public restrooms, and a water fountain with bottle filler. The center also has space for staff restrooms and a breakroom.

Norman took over operations of the Cleveland Area Rapid Transit (CART) system in July 2019 after The University of Oklahoma desired to no longer operate non-campus routes. The City has continued to used OU’s Brooks Street Transfer Station as their hub while the new facility was completed. 

Embark, Oklahoma City’s Transportation and Parking Authority, contracted with the City as the operator for the bus system when it transitioned under city control. Council has allocated $4,300,000 to Embark for Fiscal Year 2024 costs.

Norman voters approved a one-eighth cent sales tax increase in November 2019 as the dedicated funding source for the public transit system. The funds pay for all operation aspects of the system including its payment to Embark, maintenance for vehicles, and fuel costs. 

There are five routes in the new network: 24th Ave NW, East Lindsey, West Lindsey, Airport, and 12th Ave NE.

The system is free of charge for riders. According to ridership data from the September Public Transportation Monthly Report, the system completed over 38,000 rides in August 2023.

Aerial overview of the downtown transit-center parcel outlined in red near S. Porter Avenue, E. Main Street, and Yellow Dog Coffee.
Wider downtown aerial showing the transit-center site outlined in red near the County Courthouse, Andrews Park, and Longfellow Middle School.
Exterior photo of the new Norman Transit Center — a modern building with a sweeping bright-blue curved canopy over its drive and a large parking area.
Photo beneath the transit center's blue curved canopy, looking down the covered bus lane beside the brick building.
Photo of the transit center entrance with 'Transit Center / EMBARK Norman' signage and a silver canopy, with EMBARK buses parked behind.
Close-up of the blue 'Transit Center / EMBARK Norman' sign at the building's entrance.
Map of Norman showing EMBARK's new bus routes as colored lines across the city.
The new bus-route map zoomed in with individual stops labeled.