The city of Oklahoma City made the leap this week, committing to a nearly $25 million purchase of five trolleys for a proposed downtown streetcar system as part of a MAPS 3 project. It was a unanimous vote by the council on Tuesday to make the purchase from the Brookville Equipment Corporation.
Money from the Oklahoma City Capital Improvements Sales Tax for the MAPS 3 Program will fund the purchase. The MAPS 3 projects were approved by voters on Nov 18, 2014 and seven proposals were received from four manufacturers. An Evaluation Committee reviewed and ranked the proposals and initially recommended the trolleys be purchased from INEKON Group. But it was determined during negotiations that INEKON Group was unable to meet specific requirements and contract conditions.
City staff recommended last October that the city negotiate a contract with the Brookville Equipment Corporation. The contract approved Tuesday totaled $24,894,508.
Planner Rob Edgecomb said the original plan called for four trolleys but an expanded route around a proposed new convention center meant five trolleys will be in operation fulltime.
Listen to Edgecomb’s presentation and a condensed discussion with some council members.
