Newly defined goals to further address the most critical issues affecting drivers every day will be the focus of the updated Eight-year Construction Work Plan. The Oklahoma Transportation Commission members approved two additional updated infrastructure plans outlining asset preservation and major projects for the county road system. This plan’s focus is 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,” said Tim Gatz, Secretary of Transportation and ODOT Executive Director.
The three areas are:
• 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.
• Improve two-lane highways with deficient shoulders to provide an added layer of safety when driver errors occur.
• Improve pavement conditions to increase safety as well as lower vehicle costs to the driving public.
• Also approved was the $482 million Asset Preservation Plan for State Fiscal Years 2020 through 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.
All plans are available for viewing on the ODOT website, www.odot.org. Click on the “ODOT Publications” link under the “What’s New” tab.