County Improvement Plan adopted, contract for Diverging Diamond Interchange at I-35 and SH-9W Norman approved; nearly $150 million in projects awarded
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2023
PR# 23-017
Highlights of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission’s Monday, June 5, meeting include adoption of the updated five-year County Improvements for Roads and Bridges Plan, an update on emergency repairs on a US-75 bridge in Tulsa and a contract approval to move forward on reconstructing the I-35 and SH-9W interchange south of Norman.
The commission voted to approve the annual update to the CIRB Plan for Federal Fiscal Years 2024 through 2028. The plan includes $804 million for reconstruction or rehabilitation of 176 county bridges and improvements to nearly 400 miles of county roads during the next five years. The CIRB program uses designated state funding administered by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation combined with federal, local and tribal funds for the highest priority county transportation projects. The plan is updated annually in partnership between county commissioners, their Circuit Engineering Districts and ODOT. To view projects in the CIRB, visit www.odot.org and click CIRB under Projects and Programs.
The transportation commissioners were updated on a $350,000 emergency repair to US-75 over Polecat Creek in Tulsa County. Cracks were discovered in the northbound bridge during a routine bridge inspection in July. The lanes were immediately narrowed and an emergency project bid letting took place in early August. There are incentives written into the contract to have the lanes fully open by Labor Day.
Approved at the commission meeting was an up to $105 million project to reconstruct the I-35 and SH-9W interchange south of Norman to accommodate heavy traffic in the area. The project will convert the interchange into a Divergent Diamond Interchange configuration, similar to the one now in use in Elk City at I-40 and Main St. The project will also expand I-35 to six lanes from the Canadian River south to the Goldsby interchange. The reconstruction will begin this fall and is expected to complete in summer of 2026.
The commission voted to approve a $42 million contract to reconstruct and add shoulders to 8 miles of SH-19 in Grady County which will help improve safety along the corridor between Chickasha and Pauls Valley. The project is expected to begin in early 2024 and take about four months. In addition, a pavement rehabilitation project will take place on 3 miles of US-75 near Okmulgee slated to begin this fall and complete late summer 2024.
Commissioners voted to award 12 contracts totaling nearly $150 million to improve highways, roads and bridges statewide. The public may access a list of all awarded contracts at https://oklahoma.gov/odot/business-center/contracts-and-proposals.html selecting the July 13 and July 20, 2023 lettings.
The nine-member Oklahoma Transportation Commission, appointed by the governor and legislative leadership to oversee the state’s transportation development, awards contracts monthly for road and bridge construction.
Due to the Labor Day holiday, the next Oklahoma Transportation Commission meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 11. The meeting will be available to view live via Ustream and past meetings are available at vimeo.com/odot.
Approved at the August Oklahoma Transportation Commission meeting was an up to $105 million project to reconstruct the I-35 and SH-9W interchange south of Norman into a Divergent Diamond configuration, similar to the one now in use in Elk City at I-40 and Main St. The project will also expand I-35 to six lanes from the river south to the Goldsby interchange. The reconstruction will begin this fall and is expected to complete in summer of 2026.
Oklahoma Transportation Commissioners approved the updated five-year County Improvements for Roads and Bridges Plan at their August commission meeting. The plan is updated annually in partnership between county commissioners, their Circuit Engineering Districts and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. To view projects in the CIRB, visit www.odot.org and click CIRB under Projects and Programs.
