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There's a commonly-held belief that senior citizens are the only men that have to worry about low testosterone. After all, a man in his 40s or 50s is still supposed to be strong, confident, and virile, right? Research from the Cleveland Clinic shows that, globally, nearly 8% of all men suffer from low levels of testosterone. That's a huge number - and many of those men haven't seen the "wrong side" of 50 yet.
The truth is, you don't have to be a brittle old man a decade into retirement to experience low testosterone. Because, in reality, male testosterone levels can begin to fall in your 30s. And when that happens, a man's life can change drastically. Finding the motivation to attack the day, work hard, and come home happy is more difficult. Going to the gym to get a full session of cardio in? Not with the kink in your neck that's been bothering you for days.
For some men with low testosterone, the ultimate embarrassment happens - they can't light that spark and perform in the bedroom like they used to. If you're one of the millions of men slogging through life and the symptoms of low T, you may think there's no going back to the old you. But nothing could be further from the truth. Male health centers like Rank One Medical are ready to treat you with an FDA-approved procedure that rebalances your hormones and helps re-capture your youth.
It's called testosterone replacement therapy, and it's giving men around the U.S. renewed hope and a new lease on life. Unlike other male hormone clinics, however, Rank One Medical provides patients with an all-inclusive approach to TRT in Edmond, OK, so you can get relief ASAP.
Our Men's Testosterone Replacement Therapy is an all-inclusive monthly fee for treatment. Unlike most male health clinics, we do not charge "start-up fees," "consult fees," or "lab fees." When we say our monthly fee is "all-inclusive," we mean it! We're talking Testosterone cypionate, initial and follow-up labs, and all consultations with our licensed physician are included in our TRT services.
When you choose Rank One Medical, you don't have to carve time out of your day to travel to our location. That's because we specialize in concierge TRT, so you can get relief from low testosterone from the comfort of your home. Plus, injection supplies and doorstep shipping are also included.
As an evidence-based practice with customized protocols and personalized TRT in Edmond, OK, we pride ourselves on exceeding expectations with real results. When you trust Rank One Medical, you can rest easy knowing you'll never get a one-size-fits-all treatment plan.
Our patients trust us with their TRT journey because we prioritize convenience and confidence while providing:
To understand the amazing benefits of taking TRT, it's important to grasp what testosterone is and its role in your body.
When you hear the word testosterone, what comes to mind? Many folks think of a large, muscle-bound man who is too aggressive and macho. Of course, that stereotype is untrue. Testosterone plays a role in a man's motivation and vigor, but it does much more than that. The truth is that testosterone is crucial for the male body because it affects development from puberty through old age.
As your primary androgen, testosterone helps develop the characteristics that make you the man you are. Controlled by your pituitary gland and your hypothalamus, testosterone helps maintain and develop:
Unfortunately, when your body suffers from low testosterone (also called hypogonadism), you'll start to notice concerning symptoms that affect every aspect of your life.
This is a question we get all the time at Rank One Medical. Though the true answer is nuanced, the bottom line is that aging is most often the reason for low T. Every man who ages will most likely have lower testosterone than younger men. Other causes of low testosterone include prescribed medications, drug abuse, injuries, and obesity.
When you lose large amounts of testosterone, it alters your testosterone and estrogen. Low T levels usually result in more abdominal fat, which in turn causes estrogen synthetase levels to jump. This creates even higher levels of estrogen in your body. With more estrogen and less testosterone, several concerning issues manifest.
Some of the most common symptoms associated with low testosterone include:
If you're a man struggling with just one of the symptoms above, it could be because you have low testosterone. However, the only way to be certain is to have your testosterone levels tested. If your testosterone levels are low for a man of your age, TRT in Edmond, OK, may be the next logical step.
Have you noticed that you don't feel like "you" when you're working or relaxing at home? Do you always feel lethargic or unmotivated, even on your days off? Do you find it challenging to maintain an erection? Many men mistake these symptoms for being overworked or over-busy. Truthfully, though, there's a good chance these are symptoms of low testosterone. Since no two males have the same symptoms of low testosterone, it's prudent to understand and recognize some of the most common signs.
When you have low T, it's not unusual for sex to be unappealing. Crazy, right? If you're one of the thousands of men in the United States suffering from a low sex drive, it might not be you. It could be low testosterone. Don't settle for a mediocre libido - reclaim your sex life with Rank One Medical.
Also called ED, these are two words that every man hopes to avoid. When you're unable to perform in the bedroom, it's not just embarrassing - it can also affect your long-term relationships and even your mental health. ED is a challenging topic to talk about. But it doesn't have to be. TRT in Edmond, OK can help re-light that special spark you've been missing for so long.
Your brain has many testosterone receptors. However, when you're suffering from low testosterone, it can affect your mood. With time, those feelings can lead to serious psychological issues like depression. However, studies show that TRT can help rebalance your hormones, which can lead to improved mood and a life without depression.
When you work hard all day, most men want to come home, eat some dinner, and try to go to sleep. Unfortunately, men with low testosterone tend to toss and turn, even when they're exhausted. Whether you have undiagnosed insomnia or a different sleep disorder, low T could be the culprit.
When testosterone levels lower as we get older, men have a harder time lifting heavy items. That's true even if you're hitting the gym and lifting weights to maintain your muscles. If you're making a concerted effort to keep your muscle mass and strength but aren't making gains, it could be due to low testosterone.
Do you find it extra challenging to finish normal tasks at work? Do you believe your memory is getting worse? Does your spouse or partner yell about not paying attention to them? Trust us; we've been there. The effects of low testosterone don't just affect your body - they can also affect your mind and memory. When TRT brings your testosterone levels back within normal range, brain fog and other concentration issues will often go away.
At Rank One Medical, we understand what men go through every day when living with low testosterone. They suffer from low libido, lack of motivation, and often feel abnormal and out of place. But as bad as those are, living with low testosterone can have more severe health risks that put your vital organs at risk.
Some of the health risks you should be concerned with include the following:
When you're diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes, you may be wondering why. Sometimes, the culprit is having low T. Statistically, men with low testosterone have a higher chance of getting diabetes as they age. In the same vein of thought, men with diabetes are also much more likely to have low T. This fact establishes a relationship between testosterone and diabetes. This relationship is furthered by the fact that men with low testosterone have more challenges resisting insulin. Though TRT in Edmond, OK won't cure your diabetes, research shows that men with healthy testosterone levels also have healthier blood sugar levels and are usually not as obese.
Have you been told by your primary care doctor that you have high blood pressure? Do you have an idea what may be causing your high blood pressure? Is it aging? Is it hereditary? Is it something else?
According to research, men with low testosterone have higher chances of suffering from cardiovascular illnesses. Because, when your testosterone levels are low, red blood cell reproduction slows. That, in turn, causes plaque buildup in your arteries. With time, plaque buildup can cause life-threatening issues like heart attacks or strokes.
If you look in the mirror in the morning and are disgusted with how fat you've gotten, you're not alone. Many aging men have problems with obesity. If you eat well and exercise like you should but still can't shed embarrassing body fat, low T could be the cause.
Research shows a link between obesity and low T, with testosterone playing an essential role in food metabolism. It's also involved with insulin, glucose, and fat regulation. Thankfully, when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise, men who use TRT often lose weight and benefit from better blood glucose and low-density cholesterol levels.
When a man has anemia, his body lacks much-needed blood cells, meaning organs have less oxygen to properly function. Normal testosterone levels have been linked to healthy red blood cell counts, so it makes sense that men with low T are at risk of anemia. In fact, a study conducted in 2009 found that aging men with low testosterone were five times more likely to have anemia versus men with healthy testosterone. TRT isn't a cure for anemia, but with healthier levels of testosterone, your body will produce more red blood cells, which can prevent anemia.
Up to this point, we've explained some of the revolutionary benefits of TRT but haven't dug into how it works. TRT does exactly what its name implies: it's a therapy backed by science that replaces low T levels in men.
Also called androgen replacement therapy, TRT is a form of hormone replacement therapy for men that helps them deal with and triumph over the debilitating side effects associated with low testosterone. Originally created by scientists in the 1930s, TRT has grown from a little-known treatment to a life-changing solution for millions of men worldwide.
Without boring you with facts and scientific speak, TRT gives your body the testosterone it needs to function properly. Without healthy T levels, your body isn't able to maintain the natural processes it needs for your well-being. As a matter of fact, men with low T are more likely to develop serious health problems like heart disease and type-2 diabetes. Until their testosterone levels are restored, most men suffer from the symptoms of low testosterone without hormone replacement therapy like TRT.
With TRT from Rank One Medical, your hormones are rebalanced so your body can finally begin to heal, relieving and even eliminating many of the most common signs of low testosterone.
Unlike some TRT clinics, Rank One Medical takes a comprehensive, careful approach to testosterone replacement therapy. To ensure our patients get the best results in the most efficient time frames, we have developed a 10-step physician-prescribed plan for TRT in Edmond, OK.
You Complete Our Initial On-Boarding Form
You Complete Paperwork Regarding Your Medical History & Physical
You Receive a Lab Requisite Form to Print
You Find the Nearest Quest Lab Center for Your Initial Lab Work
Quest Lab Sends Rank One Medical Your Lab Results for Review
A Physician from Rank One Medical Will Develop and Prescribe a TRT Regimen Tailored to Your Body
Our Physicians Order TRT from a 501 Compounding Pharmacy
The Pharmacy Preps and Ships Your TRT Order to Your Doorstep Within 10 Business Days
Quest Labs Re-Draws Your Labs After 9 Weeks to Review Your Progress
Quest Labs Re-Draws Your Labs Every 4-6 Months for Ongoing Treatment
In addition to our easy 10-step process for TRT, every Rank One Medical patient benefits from our affordable prices and personalized service. After all, every man has a different body, and as such, will need different TRT. Our valued patients also benefit from the following:
Did you know that 13 million men have low T and that 90% of them go untreated by doctors? Living with the harmful side effects of low testosterone is no way to live. If you believe your testosterone levels are unhealthy, it's time to contact Rank One Medical. Living with low testosterone is definitely risky. But with help from our male HRT clinic, you can reclaim your youth and health with TRT in Edmond, OK.
Unlike other TRT clinics, our highly-trained team uses a functional approach to male health, which lets us solve the causes of your symptom instead of putting a proverbial band-aid on them. Ready to get started? We're ready to help you every step of the way. Contact Rank One Medical and make a difference in your life today.
918-612-7094
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KOKH) — JackBe, the first-ever curbside drive-thru grocer, announced it will hold a grand opening at its first location on Tuesday.Located at 178th and N. May just outside of Edmond, JackBe is a new type of grocer focused on simplifying the customer shopping experience by making groceries available 'on demand'. The location is the first of three slated to open in 2023."By opening JackBe, we're introducing a new way for customers to shop that provides convenience, value and great quality with no ...
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KOKH) — JackBe, the first-ever curbside drive-thru grocer, announced it will hold a grand opening at its first location on Tuesday.
Located at 178th and N. May just outside of Edmond, JackBe is a new type of grocer focused on simplifying the customer shopping experience by making groceries available 'on demand'. The location is the first of three slated to open in 2023.
"By opening JackBe, we're introducing a new way for customers to shop that provides convenience, value and great quality with no substitutions," said Alex Ruhter, JackBe CEO. "We have studied customers' needs and created a shopping experience that’s designed specifically for busy people. We're committed to our promise to make grocery shopping a better experience. That's why we're excited to share JackBe with the Oklahoma City community, where we are founded and headquartered.”
Founded by Ruhter and his three co-founders, the team has been working together over the past three years to create a company that makes buying groceries more enjoyable throughout the whole experience.
JackBe is a concept that was built from the ground up to operate exclusively as a location where customers come to pick up their groceries ordered through the JackBe app. Within minutes, customers can place an order and when ready, pull into one of the drive-thru bays where a JackBe team member will deliver the groceries right to their car.
The store has the ability to serve up to 200 orders per hour and carries the most frequently purchased products from all the categories customers need to restock their home, including fresh produce, meats, baked goods, deli, health and beauty care, and baby and pet supplies.
Ruhter said that JackBe stores will soon feature prepared meals and local brands in many departments, staying true to the company's commitment to supporting local businesses.
Key features of shopping at JackBe include:
"Our commitment to our shoppers is to do everything in our power to offer the best shopping experience delivering both speed and quality— and we look forward to supporting more communities as we grow," Ruhter said.
Ruhter says innovation and the ability to be “JackBe nimble, JackBe quick” is at the core of all the company stands for.
JackBe's first location is located at 18001 N. May Ave. and will be open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., Monday through Sunday. For more information on JackBe, click here.
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EDMOND, Okla. (KFOR) – Plans for Uncommon Ground Sculpture Park in Edmond were scrapped last week after the developer said the city was “disingenuous and arrogant.”French Family Charitable Foundation announced earlier this week that they were done and stated that they would not be bringing it back.| Edmond sculpture park plans scrapped >“No, we’re done, we&rs...
EDMOND, Okla. (KFOR) – Plans for Uncommon Ground Sculpture Park in Edmond were scrapped last week after the developer said the city was “disingenuous and arrogant.”
French Family Charitable Foundation announced earlier this week that they were done and stated that they would not be bringing it back.
| Edmond sculpture park plans scrapped >
“No, we’re done, we’re done,” said Project Leader for Uncommon Grounds plans Randel Shadid. I appreciate all of the amazing community support we’ve gotten throughout this whole process and we’re sorry to anyone we let down. But I think that the management at City Hall has a problem with it because they don’t control it.”
Overall the project would cost a little over $60 million which would come from the FFCF itself. Essentially, Shadid explained that they took nearly the exact same plans that Tulsa’s Gathering Place had and just replaced them with Edmond locations and names.
Shadid says that the idea that they needed to get out quickly came after a nearly four-hour city council meeting where most of it was discussing the plans for Uncommon Grounds. Despite the city approving it, Shadid said it was too late at that point.
It is my responsibility and staff’s to assess and to present to City Council any initial and long-term financial costs attributed to any project.
Edmond City Manager Scot Rigby
“If the city wants an eastside park which they’ve said they do, then they would have to pay for it anyways,” said Shadid. “So if we don’t do our thing then they’re going to have to buy the land, do the same improvements we asked them to do anyway and they’re going to have to put in all the equipment. And it’s not going to be on the same level that we want it done. Also, this would all be on the taxpayer’s dime.”
Many times Shadid argued that FFCF and himself along with others from Edmond, have lived there most of their lives and that’s why they are wanting to dedicate millions of dollars to this project.
One issue that the city and many have expressed is who would be paying for the constant maintenance. Shadid said that they want to take care of the maintenance.
“Most of the parks within the City of Edmond have a general baseline the city is allowed to spend on maintenance and that’s understandable,” said Shadid. “We don’t want the city maintaining it, we want a higher level of maintenance. We all know, if you’ve lived in Edmond pretty long, with how they’re maintained there’s never enough money.”
The City was working with them on a master plan and the City Council recently approved their site plan and all 8 variances they requested, which included assuming responsibility for improving Coltrane and 2nd Street.
Edmond City Manager Scot Rigby
One of the main projects that were of concern to some city officials was the expansion of East 2nd Street and Coltrane. That was required if the park was to exist. Shadid said that was one of the very few things the city would have had to pay for.
“They are going to be expanding Coltrane to four lanes anyways,” said Shadid. “We’re not asking for much and we didn’t want to spend another $600,000 on that if it was going to happen anyways.”
“Again, I think the management at City Hall has a problem with it because they don’t control it,” said Shadid.
“I am sorry to hear of Mr. French’s decision to not move forward with the Uncommon Ground project. I know both the city and Mr. French’s team were earnestly engaged in working through the details of this exciting project. After last Council meeting’s approval of Uncommon Ground’s site plan, I thought we were positively moving in the right direction. I would hope in the coming days we may have the opportunity to visit with Mr. French and his team to discuss how the project could move forward.”
Mayor Darrell A. Davis
Shadid mentioned that Saturday, he received calls from Guthrie council members telling him they would work past the red tape to get something similar in their area.
“No, we have lived in Edmond most of our lives and we are going to die in Edmond,” said Shadid. “This whole situation just might make us die a little faster. In all seriousness, this project was specifically for Edmond and that community. We wanted to give back.”
“We just thought, should we continue this and just be upset for the next few years,” said Shadid. “Or, do we wanna say it’s over and that it’s done?”
As for the future of Uncommon Ground, the sign claiming that it was headed to the corner still stood. Around the land, there was construction equipment and mounds of dirt.
“it’s just the stress, we don’t need it this time in our lives,” said Shadid. “I’m particularly upset that it’s not happening because five of my really good friends were talked into buying significantly good pieces of art for the park. So, I had to call all of those yesterday and say I’m sorry.”
The city hinted in their statement that they would like to come back to French to talk about the future of the project.
“No, that’s not happening,” said Shadid. “I suppose we could go out there and just put up the art for people to enjoy. But, we’re not going to do that because the art is very valuable.”
Support JournalismAfter staying in downtown Edmond and interviewing community stakeholders last week, national members of the Urban Land Institute advised local leaders of future land use options for Edmond’s greater downtown area during a panel presentation Friday at the University of Central Oklahoma.Among the many topics discussed throughout the ...
Support Journalism
After staying in downtown Edmond and interviewing community stakeholders last week, national members of the Urban Land Institute advised local leaders of future land use options for Edmond’s greater downtown area during a panel presentation Friday at the University of Central Oklahoma.
Among the many topics discussed throughout the presentation, ULI panelists recommended that Edmond close East Main Street between South Broadway Avenue and South Littler Avenue to create “Main Street Square” and place the planned municipal courthouse and parking garage along South Littler Avenue between East First Street and East Main Street. Panelists also recommended constructing a crosswalk from downtown across South Boulevard to connect with UCO.
Another key recommendation from the ULI panel involved implementing various types of housing downtown to attract essential workers.
“We’re asking you, be bold,” Bill Lashbrook, one ULI panelist said. “Think about downtown as a canvas and an opportunity to create something for Edmond that will be the envy of the surrounding towns and bring economic growth into the center. See that opportunity. See the value of those connections. See the value of that larger pull platform.”
The Urban Land Institute is a membership-based organization focused on shaping the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide. The Oklahoma chapter was founded in 2007.
Brent Martin, a ULI panelist who works as a managing partner with LandDesign in Boulder, Colorado, said creating “Main Street Square” in downtown could give Edmond a focal point for pedestrians to orient themselves in and around town.
“With this connection to Broadway, the ‘Square’ is a place that can be a respite for retail customers to linger a bit longer, families to let their children eat some ice cream and play and dedicated space for events, concerts and festivals,” Martin said.
If Edmond created a “Main Street Square,” the slated municipal courthouse and parking garage should be placed on South Littler Avenue between East First Street and East Main Street, Martin said.
As the “city center complex” is currently designed, the new City Hall is planned for 28 E. Main St., on the site of the current downtown community center, and the new parking garage is slated to be constructed at the site of the current Edmond planning and public works building, 10 S. Littler Ave.
The new Edmond Municipal Courthouse is planned to be east of the slated parking garage, on the corner of East Main Street and North Boulevard.
“The panel strongly believes that City Hall should have a presence and prominence like no other building in downtown. Through the use of masking, architectural character and urban design techniques, City Hall should anchor Main Street Square and the downtown with its entrance and activated frontage along the ‘Square,'” Martin said. “Once again, this is a building that will last for generations. So, make the most of this opportunity and be bold.”
Asked about the recommendation to close East Main Street and place the “city center complex” on South Littler Avenue, Edmond City Manager Scot Rigby said that city and community stakeholders will have to come to the table.
“We have a unique project right now with the city center complex that provides us an opportunity — a catalytic project,” Rigby said. “So, we’ll have those discussions. I’m not opposed to it. I think there’s a value of having green space.”
The fastest growing large city in Oklahoma, Edmond is expected to add about 40,000 people over the next 30 years — a growth which Edmond leaders are anticipating.
With this estimated growth, ULI panelist Geoff Koski, who serves as the president of KB Advisory Group in Atlanta, Georgia, recommended the city add housing to meet the population demand.
“By the time we get to 2050, you’re going to be a significantly larger place. The growth is coming. It’s not going to stop. You’re going to add an entire city of Bartlesville, which by the way, is the 13th-largest city in Oklahoma. It’s not nothing,” Koski said. “So where are all these people going to live? That really became an essential piece of our deliberations — the housing. How do you house all of these new people over the next 30 years?”
Koski said the average household size across the United States is decreasing, but about 75 percent of Edmond’s housing stock consists of detached single-family homes.
“That’s the historical tale of suburban growth that you all mastered. However, in today’s world, two thirds of your households are made up of one or two people,” Koski said. “So, what we see is a mismatch. Your housing stock is not matched up with your populace.”
Another ULI panelist, John Batey, the director of affordable housing development for the Wyoming Community Development Authority, recommended the inclusion of higher-density, mixed-use and mixed-income housing in the downtown core to meet the city’s need for essential workers.
“Essential worker housing just makes sense in the downtown core for a number of reasons. The area is already dense, so we already have a collection of smaller lots, more count compact development. Existing income levels in the downtown area are more in line with essential workers in your community,” Batey said. “This essentially says that this is where the housing is needed, because this is where the essential workers are that have been able to be lucky enough to find a housing unit in your community.”
Ward 1 Edmond City Councilman David Chapman, who did not file for reelection in 2023, said ULI’s presentation was similar to his 2019 campaign speech.
“Everybody’s come up and told me, ‘Dude, you were just too early,'” Chapman said. “But here’s my prayer: That the work that I did in that four years made it to where we can actually do it now.”
Chapman said he hopes whoever succeeds him in the Ward 1 seat “can take the torch and can be more successful.”
“We’re a whole lot closer to this vision today than we were four years ago. I promise you that,” Chapman said.
On the recommended closure of East Main Street and the proposed relocation of the city center complex, city leaders will have to determine which points of ULI’s presentation they will be able to adopt, Chapman said.
“I think we’ve got to look and see what are those things we could implement,” Chapman said. “Some we may not be able to because we may have already kind of gone down the road.”
(Editor’s note: The Oklahoma chapter of the Urban Land Institute is a financial sponsor of NonDoc’s 2023 municipal debate series.)
ULI Advisory Services Panel
Edmond, Oklahoma
FEBRUARY 2023
Shape the future of the built environment for
transformative impact in communities worldwide
THE MISSION OF THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE
1
CONNECT active, passionate, diverse members through the foremost global network
of interdisciplinary professionals
INSPIRE best practices for equitable and sustainable land use through content, education,
convening, mentoring, and knowledge sharing
LEAD in solving community and real estate challenges through applied collective global experience
Support JournalismThe Regional Transportation Authority of Central Oklahoma would like to bring a ballot referendum before Oklahoma City, Edmond and Norman voters in either fall 2024 or spring 2025 to fund its proposed rail commuter project, RTA representatives told the Edmond City Council on April 24.Jason Ferbrache, the interim executive director of RTA, said Burlington Northern Santa Fe has shown a willingness to share its right of wa...
Support Journalism
The Regional Transportation Authority of Central Oklahoma would like to bring a ballot referendum before Oklahoma City, Edmond and Norman voters in either fall 2024 or spring 2025 to fund its proposed rail commuter project, RTA representatives told the Edmond City Council on April 24.
Jason Ferbrache, the interim executive director of RTA, said Burlington Northern Santa Fe has shown a willingness to share its right of way for the project, which would travel through each of the member cities along the north-south corridor. The project, which faces unanswered questions about its total cost to RTA member cities, will ultimately need an access agreement with BNSF to be completed.
The proposed project also includes alternative corridors that would take passengers to Tinker Air Force Base — the largest employer in the three cities — and Will Rogers World Airport.
However, because RTA still needs more right of way and more railway track to complete the project, Ferbrache said RTA hopes to call for a special election among all three member cities — Edmond, OKC and Norman — to propose dedicating a percentage of sales tax proceeds from each city to fund the rail commuter project.
“I know that’s an additional discussion, but that’s really one of the major roles that member cities will decide is that advice and guidance — when does (an election) seem to work best collectively for the region?” Ferbrache said.
Kathyrn Holmes, another RTA executive, said BNSF is currently undertaking modeling to marry RTA’s operating plan and their own proposed growth plan. After that completed plan is given to RTA — which is expected to happen in June — the organization will then be asked to complete a conceptual design “that will advance the engineering work and the capacity improvements,” Holmes said.
Holmes said the conceptual design will get RTA “real numbers” that can be taken to voters on a ballot referendum. She said the conceptual design is estimated to be complete in June 2024.
“We will have our financial plan developed that would demonstrate what we need, not only for the infrastructure improvements, the bonding capacity, the debt service on the bonds, but also the ongoing operations and maintenance costs, so that we can roll all that up and say to the voters, ‘We need x percent of a sales tax increase to support this line.'”
State law limits RTA’s options, in that it can only levy a sales tax within member cities at a maximum rate of 2 percent. No other tax revenue sources from member cities can be used to fund the project, which will largely be backed by federal grants.
Additionally, RTA is asking for member cities to procure property to be used for train stations, which would be constructed by RTA. Currently, two stations are planned for Edmond, five are planned for OKC and four are planned for Norman — including a special events station to be used for large OU events.
Some general areas have been recommended for stations, but specific properties have not been selected. In all, 11 proposed stations were presented at the Edmond City Council meeting:
Originally, RTA included three additional cities — Midwest City, Del City and Moore — in its proposal. However, Midwest City withdrew from RTA in December 2021, while Del City and Moore withdrew in June 2022. City leaders cited financial impact as their reason for withdrawing.
Former Edmond Ward 2 Councilman Josh Moore, who did not run for reelection this year, said the RTA commuter rail project would help alleviate Edmond’s workforce housing issue by providing another option for employees to commute to Edmond.
“We talk about our housing challenges, our cost of housing and workforce, and, my goodness, the things that it could do for business in Edmond and especially in downtown,” Moore said. “It would be incredible.”
Former Edmond Ward 1 Councilman David Chapman, who also chose not to pursue a reelection bid, said constructing a rail line to the Will Rogers World Airport would be “huge.”
“It’s amazing to me how many cars there are in parking at Will Rogers airport. It’s crazy,” Chapman said. “Until you consider there is no other way to get there.”
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt told NonDoc that OKC will be working closely with the RTA on funding proposals.
“State law allows for cities to join together to form an RTA, and then that RTA can seek funding through a sales tax vote,” Holt said. “This effort is critical for our region’s future growth, and it has been over a decade in the making. I have always considered it one of the most important initiatives that will occur during my time as mayor, and that’s why I asked Gov. (Brad) Henry to lead the charge (as RTA chairman). RTA is truly an independent level of government, and though any funding proposal will be theirs, city and community leaders are and will be working closely with RTA leadership to see this through.”
Holt said the trajectory of OKC’s growth means those options will become more of a priority in the months and years to come.
“There won’t be anything concrete to consider this calendar year, but I think we are getting closer to a time when this will be a front-burner discussion,” he said. “We are already America’s 20th-largest city, and our metro’s growth in the decades to come will demand more public transit options, including light rail. That will be a vital conversation in the years to come.”
Norman Ward 7 Councilman Stephen Tyler Holman said he and many of his colleagues are supportive of the commuter rail project, but he said concerns exist about the amount of sales tax funds that RTA will demand from voters.
“The sales tax part of it is what has given us the most heartburn, and it has for me for the entire time that I’ve been involved in this project,” Holman said.
Holman, who chairs Norman’s Community Planning and Transportation Committee, said part of the reason Moore dropped out of RTA was owing to worries that Moore residents would vote down a sales tax increase to fund the commuter rail project.
However, Holman said Norman residents may be more “friendly” to that idea, as they previously passed a one-eighth cent sales tax in 2019 to fund the city’s existing public transportation system when the University of Oklahoma scaled back its support. The one-eighth cent sales tax replaced a portion of a one-fourth cent sales tax which expired earlier that year.
Owing to the current public transportation tax, Norman likely could avoid having to increase the tax as much as Edmond or OKC to fund the commuter rail, Holman said. Norman’s current sales tax was designed to exist until funding for metropolitan-wide transit was identified and approved.
“We wouldn’t need to increase it by as much in Norman because we already have a dedicated sales tax for it,” Holman said. “So we may need to increase that percent that we’re getting, but we wouldn’t be creating a brand new tax necessarily in Norman, and we wouldn’t have to increase it maybe as much as they may have to in OKC or Edmond.”
Holmes said a construction schedule would be determined if voters approve the three cities’ ballot referenda. A finalized access agreement with BNSF and finalized grant funding agreements would also be needed.
“Just as an example, the commuter rail line north in Salt Lake City, which is approximately the same mileage as this line from Edmond to Norman, was constructed in six years. Could be more, could be less, but that’s my thinking,” Holmes said. “Now in Salt Lake City, we built a line on an entirely separate corridor. Here, we’re going to be sharing BNSF infrastructure, so it could be faster than that, but that’s the anticipation we have as we’re planning.”
(Correction: This article was updated at 12:59 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, 2023, to clarify that the one-eighth cent sales tax passed by Norman residents in 2019 was not an increase, as it repurposed a portion of an existing one-fourth cent sales tax which expired the following year. NonDoc regrets this error.)
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