July Commission Wrap-Up: Commissioners praise FASTLANE grant for US-69/75 project
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2016
Press Release #16-035
Highlights of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission’s Monday, July 11 meeting include details of a federal grant for major work on US-69/75 in Bryan County, action on an agreement to move forward with a bond issue for transportation projects and consideration of new memorial highway and bridge designations. Commissioners voted to award contracts for major projects on SH-51 in Stillwater and SH-39 near Lexington and to repair vehicle damage on I-40 in Oklahoma City and US-169 in Tulsa.
Oklahoma Department of Transportation Executive Director Mike Patterson highlighted a recently-announced $62 million federal grant that will help fund a project to upgrade four miles of US-69/75 to a controlled-access highway between Calera and Durant in Bryan County. This corridor currently has interstate-like traffic traveling on a highway with several at-grade intersections and traffic signals, which causes significant congestion and safety concerns.
“There is an amazing amount of economic growth and development in this area of Oklahoma and this grant makes it possible for ODOT to upgrade the highway and support the increased freight movement in the region,” Patterson said. “I’m very thankful and proud of the agency for obtaining this grant, which was one of only 18 awarded nationwide.”
Patterson also expressed his thanks to Oklahoma’s congressional delegation and the Choctaw Nation for supporting the project. The total cost of the improvements is estimated at $120 million, and ODOT is expediting the environmental review, engineering, right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation to prepare the project for bid in Federal Fiscal Year 2019.
The commission voted to allow ODOT to enter into an agreement with the Oklahoma Capital Improvement Authority for a $200 million bond issue to help finance highway and bridge projects in the Eight-year Construction Work Plan. The legislature authorized the sale of bonds through OCIA to help offset cuts to ODOT in the State Fiscal Year 2017 budget. The proceeds of the bond issue will be used to pay for work that is starting soon and construction projects scheduled in the Eight-year Plan.
Commissioners awarded a more than $7.3 million contract for bridge reconstruction on SH-51 in Stillwater and a contract with a $9.7 million base bid for a project to resurface, add paved shoulders and replace a bridge on SH-39 east of Lexington. They also approved contracts to repair vehicle impact damage to the I-40 bridge over Choctaw Rd. in Oklahoma City and the US-169 bridge over Pine St. in Tulsa.
As part of the consent docket, the commission also gave its approval to install signs designating five memorial highways and bridges, including the “Meteorologist Gary England Bridge” on US-60 in Major County.
In all, commissioners awarded 24 contracts totaling $50 million to improve bridges, highways, interstates and roads in 19 counties. Contracts were awarded for projects in Blaine, Bryan, Canadian, Carter, Cleveland, Garfield, Grant, Harmon, Jackson, Kay, Kingfisher, LeFlore, McClain, Major, Oklahoma, Payne, Seminole, Texas and Tulsa counties. A list of all awarded contracts can be found by visiting www.odot.org/contracts, selecting the June letting and clicking Go and then Award.
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. Due to the Independence Day holiday, the next meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. August 1.
Contracts, bid information, the commission’s monthly agenda and project details may be viewed at www.odot.org.
At their Monday, July 11 meeting, members of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission praised a recently-announced $62 million federal grant that will help fund an Oklahoma Department of Transportation project to upgrade US-69/75 between Calera and Durant in Bryan County, pictured here.
