This week, members of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved the Oklahoma DOT's (ODOT) Eight-year Construction Work Plan for highway construction projects for FY 2020-2027.
The commission also approved two additional updated infrastructure plans outlining asset preservation and major projects for the county road system.
This iteration of the agency's recurring Eight-year plan continues to focus on replacing structurally deficient highway bridges as well as addressing older bridges before they develop deficiencies, along with improving two-lane highways with deficient shoulders and increasing the focus on improving good-condition pavement miles.
“The metrics were selected to directly move the needle in three key areas,” Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation and ODOT Executive Director Tim Gatz said in a statement. “First, we must continue to replace and address bridges, not only to finish tackling structurally deficient bridges, but also to maintain good standing and stay ahead of the needs of our aging infrastructure. Second, we must improve two-lane highways with deficient shoulders to provide an added layer of safety when driver errors occur. And third, we must improve pavement conditions to increase safety as well as lower vehicle costs to the driving public. If we apply ourselves to these goals, we can make Oklahoma a ‘Top 10 State’ in these categories.”
The FY 2020-2027 Eight-year Plan would provide nearly $6.5 billion in federal, state, local, and tribal transportation funding. It would account for 1,396 total projects, including 657 bridge replacements or major rehabilitations, 780 miles of shoulders improved on two-lane highways, and 3,131 lane-miles improved to a state of good repair. By the end of 2018, 132 structurally deficient bridges remained in the state, compared to 1,168 in 2004, out of 6,800 bridges ODOT is responsible for statewide.
The commission also approved the $482 million Asset Preservation Plan for FY 2020 - 2023. In the updated plan, nearly 400 projects are set to improve 2,500 lane-miles of pavement and rehabilitate 85 bridges that are currently at risk of becoming deficient.
The nearly $1 billion County Improvements for Roads and Bridges Plan for FY 2020 - 2024 was also approved by commissioners, which will address 375 county bridges, of which 179 are structurally deficient, and more than 800 miles of county roads. In a continued effort to make the most of state resources, 29 of the planned bridge projects will use recycled I-40 Crosstown bridge beams.
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SOURCE: Oklahoma DOT
