Highlights of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission’s Monday, March 7 meeting include an update on cuts to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s budget following declaration of the state’s second revenue failure, commission approval of contracts for improvements to the Broken Arrow Expressway in Tulsa, US-69 in Durant, US-270 and US-69 near McAlester and SH-270 near Harrah. Also approved was an engineering contract for an interstate corridor study in Cleveland County.
Executive Director Mike Patterson told commissioners that the two revenue failures for State Fiscal Year 2016 have reduced the Rebuilding Oklahoma and Driver Safety fund by nearly $31 million, impacting ODOT’s capital budget for highway projects. Even with additional federal transportation funding provided by the U.S. Congress in the FAST Act, cuts to the ROADS fund mean the agency will not be able to finance all of the projects scheduled to go to bid in the current year of its Eight-year Construction Work Plan.
“These revenue failures will have an impact on the Eight-year Plan as some projects this year will be delayed and more in upcoming years will have to be delayed or postponed,” Patterson said. “We will continue to work with the state legislature on solutions to continue the state’s progress on transportation as lawmakers balance next year’s budget.”
Numerous highway resurfacing projects are planned for the upcoming summer construction season thanks to commission approval of several contracts, including $4.3 million to resurface more than six miles of the Broken Arrow Expressway (US-64/SH-51) east of I-44 in Tulsa. Commissioners also awarded a more than $5 million contract for resurfacing and bridge rehabilitation on US-69 in Durant, a $7.7 million contract to resurface portions of US-270 and US-69 near McAlester and a $620,000 resurfacing contract for SH-270 near Harrah.
The commission also approved 13 engineering contracts, including a corridor study of I-35 between S. 4th St. in Moore and Tecumseh Rd. in Norman. The study, conducted in partnership with the two cities, is expected to produce some solutions for improving traffic conditions in the corridor as this area continues to develop.
In all, commissioners awarded 41 contracts totaling more than $78 million to improve bridges, highways, interstates and roads in 35 counties. Contracts were awarded for projects in Adair, Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cotton, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Harper, Hughes, Jefferson, Kay, Kingfisher, LeFlore, McCurtain, Major, Murray, Nowata, Oklahoma, Osage, Pawnee, Payne, Pittsburg, Rogers, Seminole, Texas, Tillman, Tulsa, Wagoner, Washington and Woods counties.
The eight-member panel, appointed by the governor to oversee the state’s transportation development, awards project contracts for road and bridge construction every month. The next meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. April 4.
Contracts, bid information, the commission’s monthly agenda and project details can be viewed at www.odot.org.
