Secretary of Transportation and Oklahoma Department of Transportation Executive Director Tim Gatz briefed commissioners on federal infrastructure funding and the state budget outlook as the legislative session gets underway. He noted that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by the U.S. Congress in late 2021 dedicates funding, including $53 million for Oklahoma, that will benefit bridges on the highway system and roads maintained by cities and counties.
At the state Capitol, lawmakers will be considering new legislation and crafting the state’s budget, which is expected to be more favorable than in past years. Gatz mentioned that he hopes to see the full statutory allocation of state motor fuel tax funding restored to the agency for highway maintenance and operations after several years of cuts.
Commissioners awarded contracts for a nearly $12-million project to replace 29 county bridges in partnership with Grant County. The project bundles these bridges, including several small wooden structures, into one contract combining funds from a competitive federal grant with state and local resources. They also voted to award a nearly $14-million contract for reconstruction of the US-169 bridges over 76th Street North in Owasso.
Additionally, several contracts were approved for summer resurfacing projects to improve conditions on highways, including I-35 near Davis, SH-51 in Tahlequah, and US-412/SH-3 near Bryan’s Corner in the Oklahoma Panhandle.
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Commissioners voted to award 28 contracts totaling $100 million to improve highways, roads, and bridges in 23 counties. Contracts were awarded for projects in Beaver, Carter, Cherokee, Cleveland, Craig, Custer, Delaware, Garfield, Grady, Grant, Harmon, Haskell, Kiowa, Major, Mayes, Murray, Noble, Oklahoma, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Tulsa, and Woods counties.
