KOCO'S KYLIE THOMAS TALKED WITH THE GUTHRIE MAYOR ABOUT THE IMPACT. THIS COULD HAVE. HAVE THE EXPANSION OF AMTRAK'S HEARTLAND FLYER FROM OKC TO KANSAS IS GAINING STEAM, AND GUTHRIE SAYS THEY'RE READY TO BE PART OF THE JOURNEY. IT'S ABOUT 200 MILE STRETCH THAT IS RIGHT ALONG THE I-35 CORRIDOR, AND IT WOULD OPEN UP THINGS FOR GUTHRIE FANTASTIC. EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION SELECTED THE HEARTLAND FLYER TO BE PART OF THEIR CORRIDOR ID PROGRAM. UM, THEY WERE THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WON $500,000 TO STUDY THE EXPANSION OF THE HEARTLAND FLYER FROM OKLAHOMA CITY TO NEWTON, KANSAS, A NECESSARY STEP IN GETTING THE POTENTIAL PROJECT CHUGGING ALONG. IT'S LOOKING AT FEASIBILITY TO SEE WHAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN TO TO. IN FACT, PUT PASSENGER RAIL. THE ROUTE WOULD INCLUDE STOPS IN EDMOND, GUTHRIE, PERRY AND PONCA CITY, GUTHRIE MAYOR STEPHEN GATLING SAYS THIS NEW MODE OF TRANSPORTATION WOULD BE A HUGE ECONOMIC BOOST.
TOURISM IS A IS A HUGE ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR FOR GUTHRIE, AND THIS WOULD OPEN UP ACCESS TO MORE TOURISTS. COMING IN HERE. WE KIND OF VIEW OURSELVES AS ONE OF THE FESTIVAL CITIES OF OKLAHOMA CITY. ACCORDING TO AMTRAK, THE EXTENSION WOULD HAVE AN ECONOMIC IMPACT OF $1.9 BILLION IN ONE TIME CAPITAL INVESTMENT. SINCE THE NEW ROUTE WOULD BE JUST OVER FOUR HOURS LONG. BUT THE VISION ALSO INCLUDES ADDING TWO ADDITIONAL ROUND TRIPS FROM OKC TO FORT WORTH RATHER THAN ONE TRIP. AVAILABLE NOW. AND THIS WOULD OPEN UP.