ODOT Approves School Zone, Gilcrease Projects

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma Transportation Commission wrapped its January meeting this week, giving the green light to several of the State Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) proposals, including school zone safety projects and an item related to the Gilcrease Expressway project in Tulsa. Commissioners also heard updates on federal transportation funding and the state’s first transit plan.

The school zone safety projects include the installation of signs with solar-powered warning beacons near schools on SH-4 in Mustang, and on US-77 and SH-19 in Pauls Valley. Other approved signage locations include SH-48 in Bearden, SH-270 in McLoud, US-77 in Paoli and SH-66 in Stroud.

The commission voted to authorize Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz to negotiate an agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to help finance the Gilcrease Expressway project in Tulsa, using a loan through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFA) program.

The TIFIA loan will be used to help fund construction of a five-mile segment of the new highway between I-44 and US-412. The loan will then be paid off with toll revenues. Partners on the Gilcrease project include the City of Tulsa, Tulsa County, Indian Nations Council of Governments and the Federal Highway Administration.

“This segment of the Gilcrease Expressway has been challenging to fund and this arrangement is a great example of local, state and federal government entities working together to leverage their resources to bring a major project forward that would have never happened otherwise,” Secretary Gatz said.

For more information about the Gilcrease project, including cost and schedule, visit the OTA’s project webpage at www.drivingforwardok.com

Gatz updated commissioners on the recently approved federal appropriations bill that authorizes funding for Federal Fiscal Year 2020. In December, Congress and the president agreed on a long-term appropriations measure that in turn will allow ODOT to continue advertising projects for bid and awarding contracts with federal funds.

The Secretary also reported back on stakeholder meetings taking place statewide as part of development of the Oklahoma Public Transit Policy Plan. Regional meetings designed to gather local input on transport needs were held in Lawton and McAlester in December with meetings planned for Pryor, Durant, Oklahoma City, Woodward and Ponca City in the coming weeks. Meeting details and more information about the plan can be found at www.oktransitplan.org

Finally, the department welcomed an award from the American Concrete Pavement Association for a pavement rehab project on I-35 and I-40 in Oklahoma County. The project recently earned a National Gold Award for excellence in design and construction. The $10.5 million project was designed by ODOT and built by Duit Construction, of Edmond. It sought to address sections of the I-35 roadway between Edmond and northeast Oklahoma City and I-40 on the city’s west side.

As is customary, no new highway projects were advertised for bid in December, so no construction contracts were awarded this month. Projects advertised for bid in January can be viewed at www.odot.org/contracts

The nine-member Oklahoma Transportation Commission, appointed by the governor and legislative leadership to oversee the state’s transportation development, awards monthly contracts for road and bridge construction. The commission’s next meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 3. Contracts, bid information, the commission’s monthly agenda and project details can be viewed at www.odot.org