Plans die for Santa Fe station tunnel to Bricktown

A tunnel connection between downtown’s Santa Fe Train Station and Bricktown envisioned for the past 40 years is being dropped from the city’s redevelopment of the landmark into a transit hub with a grant deadline looming and construction bids running millions over budget. The city purchased the station at 50 N E.K. Gaylord Blvd. four years ago and has completed all but the last stage of improvements at the property as part of a $28 million conversion into a transit hub. The work, partially funded by a federal TIGER grant, was originally to include a tunnel connection from the station that would have opened up on the Bricktown Canal side of the railroad viaduct. Eric Wenger, director of the city’s public works department, said the city has until June 30, 2019, to spend the remainder of the $13.5 million grant. “We’re trying to spend all the grant money before the deadline,” Wenger said. “We bid the tunnel twice. Both times it exceeded the budget by millions.” Delays included coordinating work with the BNSF Railway, and reviews and approvals with state and federal transit officials.

The city also encountered a prohibitively expensive requirement for creating a track detour during construction.

A similar detour was created for construction of a rail crossing over the Bricktown Canal south of the Oklahoma City Boulevard.

“We knew that would be required,” Wenger said. “The numbers we got from the railroad seemed pretty reasonable. But when it went out to bid, it was higher. And we’re not getting good prices.”

The Oklahoma City Council on Tuesday is to consider commissioning TAP Architecture, the project architects, to prepare plans for plaza enhancements including additional lighting and covered walkways. They were envisioned in the early conceptual proposal that would connect the station with the Sheridan Avenue entrance into Bricktown.

“It will enhance the pedestrian connection without the tunnel,” Wenger said. “We’ve already had the grant deadline extended and our goal is to spend as much of the grant as possible.”

The tunnel connection has been a long-term dream for years, dating to original Bricktown developer Neal Horton in the late 1970s. Jim Brewer, who picked up the mantle of promoting Bricktown in the mid-1980s, adopted that vision and even purchased the station with hopes of making the tunnel a reality.

The TIGER grant was the first time such a tunnel was matched with funding.

Wenger said he envisions future opportunities to bring back the tunnel as part of future transit enhancements.

“I believe the goals of the city on this have not changed,” Wenger said. “It will be a future consideration.”

[RENDERING BY TAP ARCHITECTURE] Plans for a tunnel connection between the Bricktown Canal and the Santa Fe Train Station are shown in this rendering. The project, which was also to include a new grand stairway between the two levels of the canal, is being scrapped due to high construction bids and a looming grant deadline.

[THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES] David Todd and Debbie Miller take a tour of the Santa Fe Station in this 2014 photo. The tunnel connection between the station and the Bricktown Canal would have been created just behind where the two are shown walking.

[RENDERING BY TAP ARCHITECTURE] A covered walkway between the Santa Fe Train Station and Sheridan Avenue into Bricktown, shown in this early conceptual rendering, was dropped from the project but is being revived as a substitute for canceled tunnel connection.