OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Highlights of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission’s recent meeting include updates on major upcoming I-40 work in Del City and installation of new welcome signs at state border entrances, as well as presentation of an award from a national beautification organization recognizing the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT). Commissioners awarded contracts for several sidewalk and trails projects, along with highway projects on US-77 in Cleveland County, US-60/US-81 in Garfield County, US-70 and US-70B in Choctaw County, US-81 in Jefferson County, and SH-165 in Muskogee County.

Secretary of Transportation and ODOT Executive Director Tim Gatz briefed commissioners on work on the I-40 corridor in Del City, which includes resurfacing east of the I-35 Fort Smith junction in preparation for a major project to replace six structurally deficient bridges over city streets and a creek later in the year. Though I-40 will remain open during construction, the project will disrupt freight and commuter traffic along the corridor, which serves Tinker Air Force Base. The estimated $82-million bridge reconstruction project goes to bid later in March.

“This upcoming project on I-40 will address some of the last remaining structurally deficient bridges on the highway system in the Oklahoma City metro area,” Gatz said. “This sets the course for us to modernize the entire I-40 Tinker Diagonal between I-35 and I-240 in the near future.”

Gatz also updated commissioners on the installation of 10 large welcome signs with new Oklahoma branding on interstates and highways at major entrances at the Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, and Texas state lines. The work was aligned with Lt. Gov. and Secretary of Tourism and Branding Matt Pinnell’s statewide branding initiative. Smaller signs at other highway border crossings will be installed by ODOT in the coming months.

An award recognizing ODOT’s beautification efforts was presented by Keep Oklahoma Beautiful on behalf of the national organization, Keep America Beautiful. This is the fifth consecutive year ODOT has been honored with the State Agency Partnership award, which recognizes public agencies that collaborate with their local KAB affiliates on litter cleanup and education programs.

The commission approved contracts for three pedestrian projects, including a sidewalk improvements on SH-9 in Keota and multi-use trail construction in Jenks and near Sand Springs. Commissioners voted to award an $11.6-million contract to reconstruct a section of US-77 north of Lexington as part of an ongoing effort to widen the corridor from two to four lanes between Lexington and Noble in several phases. They also awarded a $17.5-million contract to reconstruct a nine-mile segment of US-60/US-81 and add turn lanes at major intersections north of Enid. Other contracts were approved for several summer resurfacing projects, including US-70 and US-70B in Hugo, US-81 near Waurika, and SH-165 in Muskogee.

Commissioners voted to award 34 contracts totaling nearly $102 million to improve highways, roads, and bridges in 26 counties. Contracts were awarded for projects in Atoka, Beaver, Beckham, Canadian, Choctaw, Cimarron, Cleveland, Coal, Craig, Delaware, Ellis, Garfield, Greer, Haskell, Jefferson, Kay, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, Muskogee, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Texas, Tulsa, and Woods counties.