TULSA TRANSIT to open new bus transfer center Tuesday

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ The chairman of the Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority says the city has miles to go in improving its public transportation. <br><br>A new bus transfer station will be dedicated Tuesday.

Monday, June 18th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ The chairman of the Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority says the city has miles to go in improving its public transportation.

A new bus transfer station will be dedicated Tuesday. City leaders are hoping for more money to improve bus routes and build rails.

``We don't have enough money to adequately support a transit system as we'd like,'' said Brook Tarbel, transit authority chairman.

Mike Ptrichard, former head of Tulsa Transit, said the bus system needs evening, Saturday and Sunday service.

Others are trying to bring train service to Tulsa.

Amtrak returned to Oklahoma in June 1999 with the Heartland Flyer, traveling from Oklahoma City to Fort Worth.

Jim East, Mayor Susan Savage's top aide, has led the effort to bring train service to Tulsa. He said it's encouraging that the state bought most of the rail line between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, but that the cost of upgrading the line for high-speed trains would be at least $140 million.

``The bottom line is ODOT is a road-building agency,'' East said.

On the web: www.tulsatransit.org