Heads up, OKC commuters: You’ll need to plan for a slight detour if you rely on the downtown streetcar. From tomorrow until Friday, the Oklahoma City Streetcar service is taking a brief hiatus. This break in service comes as OG&E cuts the power to the old Myriad Convention Center to prep for demolition and clear the stage for the new Paycom Center’s construction, with the support that a temporary bus service will keep riders moving during this time.
EMBARK steps in to bridge the gap, offering two buses to shuttle riders along the downtown streetcar loop every 25 minutes from early morning till midnight. Although streetcar fares will still apply, the familiar sight of the streetcar won’t be gracing the tracks – instead, look out for buses bearing the “OKC Streetcar Service – Downtown Loop” head sign at any platform, except for Century Center’s on Sheridan. The EMBARK Customer Service team is ready to assist with navigation, reachable at 405-235-RIDE (7433) during their weekday hours, as reported by City of Oklahoma City’s official announcement.
If you’re planning to catch the Thunder game tomorrow, don’t worry – there are game day shuttles scheduled to operate two hours before and an hour after the game, easing the way for basketball fans amidst the service changes. However, anyone traveling through downtown OKC starting today should brace for some stop-and-go traffic: a single northbound lane on E.K. Gaylord Blvd. will be shut down from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and intermittent closures hitting both Reno Ave. and Sheridan Ave. on the following days…