The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that Oklahoma City will receive $2.2 million in planning grants through the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Investment Program.
The planning grants will fund studies to restore or replace 15 aging and heavily used bridges in Oklahoma City. Additional enhancements will include infrastructure such as bike lanes or sidewalks.
The grant includes nine span bridges along a 2.5-mile section of Lightning Creek between Southwest 29th Street and Southwest 59th Street in south Oklahoma City and six bridges in west Oklahoma City along 5.5 miles that cr oss the North Canadian River and the Deep Fork River. Three of the western bridges are on MacArthur Boulevard, one is on West Reno Avenue, one is on North Portland Avenue and the last is on Northwest 10th Street.
“The bridges in west Oklahoma City are heavily used by large-scale manufacturing in the area,” Public Works Director Debbie Miller said. “Funding for the bridges over Lightning Creek will help us determine bridge design solutions to accommodate use and provides a unique opportunity to create designs that consider waterway trash and debris removal.”
The studies will involve a public engagement process.