Oklahoma City's streetcar service is set to temporarily halt from Sept. 22 to Oct. 21, with a replacement bus shuttle stepping in to cover the Downtown Loop during this period. The suspension comes as Midwest Wrecking moves to spearhead crucial structural shoring vital for further demolition work at the former Myriad Convention Center, and for a construction project on private property. The information comes from a recent City of Oklahoma City news article that specifies the planned infrastructure updates and the impacts on local transportation.
Several street closures will happen Sept. 21–22 due to nearby construction. N Robinson Avenue (between Park Ave and W Sheridan Ave) and W Main Street at N Robinson will be closed. Parts of Sheridan Ave (eastbound) and Reno Ave (westbound) will also be shut down temporarily. Detour signs will help guide drivers, but plans may change with the weather, as reported by the City of Oklahoma City.
EMBARK will run buses every 25 minutes along the OKC Streetcar Downtown Loop during regular streetcar hours. Riders still need to pay the usual streetcar fare, using ticket machines or the Token Transit app. Some stops, like Century Center on Sheridan and Arena on Reno, won’t be served. However, Thunder Game Day shuttles will still run as usual for home games, according to the City of Oklahoma City.
During the temporary service changes, EMBARK Customer Service is available to help at 405-235-RIDE (7433), Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. People can also sign up to get updates about changes related to the city’s arena construction, as per the City of Oklahoma City.
The project is part of a bigger plan to build a new arena, backed by 71% of voters in December 2023 through a penny sales tax. The Thunder ownership is also making a major financial contribution. The goal is to meet NBA standards and support the long-term future of pro sports in the City of Oklahoma City.
