Regional Boards > Central States
Oklahoma Highways | Small projects and construction
Plutonic Panda:
Didn't see a thread for minor projects around the state.
Durant is getting a nice makeover to improve US-69/75 Corridor in Bryant County to upgrade to interstate standards.
From ODOT
--- Quote ---Thanks to U.S. Sen. James Inhofe, a federal grant will bring convenience, access and safety to the US-69/75 corridor near Durant, putting highway improvements into the fast lane.
The $62 million FASTLANE grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, will help improve safety and efficiency for the significant freight traffic on the US-69/75 corridor by improving approximately four miles of existing highway from Chickasaw Rd. in Calera to US-70 in Durant. This segment has numerous access points, including three signalized intersections and a rail crossing, which create traffic congestion and serious safety concerns. This grant will fund projects to upgrade US-69/75 to a controlled-access highway with grade separations and frontage roads, as well as improvements to rail crossings.
“Without this grant there was no funding solution for this project,” said ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson. “We are thankful to Senator Inhofe, Congressman Markwayne Mullin and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma who have all been instrumental in the application process. We have been encouraged by the broad support from entities that are impacted by freight movement in this region.”
US-69/75 is a major freight corridor connecting eastern Oklahoma with nearby regional centers like Dallas, Texas and St. Louis, Mo. and with national border crossings.
This was a very competitive grant process, and Oklahoma’s application was one of only 18 projects selected out of more than 200 submissions nationwide.
In addition to improving freight movement through this stretch of highway, the upgrades are expected to significantly improve driver safety by reducing intersection-related crashes. Of the 346 collisions on US-69/75 in this area from 2010 to 2014, 63 percent occurred at an intersection and 19 percent involved a commercial motor vehicle. The existing crash rate is four and a half times higher than that of a similar grade-separated, controlled-access segment of US-69/75 in Pittsburg County.
With funding set, ODOT will expedite work to complete the environmental review, engineering, right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation by Federal Fiscal Year 2018. Construction is tentatively set to begin in FFY 2019. Before announcement of this grant, the right-of-way and utility phases were scheduled for FFY 2023 and construction was not even scheduled in ODOT’s Eight-year Construction Work Plan due to no available funding solution.
- https://www.ok.gov/triton/modules/newsroom/newsroom_article.php?id=277&article_id=23200
--- End quote ---
Some other articles here:
https://www.ok.gov/triton/modules/newsroom/newsroom_article.php?id=277&article_id=23420
http://durantdemocrat.com/news/5904/grant-awarded-for-highway-6975-upgrade
Plutonic Panda:
2 more miles of US 69 is getting upgraded to a fully controlled facility in McAlester. Construction to begin later this year.
Meeting materials here: https://www.ok.gov/odot/Programs_and_Projects/Public_Meetings_and_Hearings/20151105.html
Bobby5280:
It's too bad ODOT can't funding to upgrade a LOT more of US-69 to Interstate standards. There is a huge amount of truck traffic on that corridor. At least these upgrades in Calera and McAlester will be relatively painless. There's next to nothing in terms of property to buy and demolish to make room for the new road. Frontage roads already run alongside those segments.
Baloo Uriza:
--- Quote from: Bobby5280 on July 15, 2016, 12:27:37 PM ---It's too bad ODOT can't funding to upgrade a LOT more of US-69 to Interstate standards. There is a huge amount of truck traffic on that corridor. At least these upgrades in Calera and McAlester will be relatively painless. There's next to nothing in terms of property to buy and demolish to make room for the new road. Frontage roads already run alongside those segments.
--- End quote ---
Maybe if we unsuspended the exploration tax that previously financed this state, even at their low rate. Not like oil companies are going to move away from reserves larger than Saudi Arabia, and no reason we shouldn't be using this state's third largest natural asset (after sun and wind), when it's going to get pumped out anyway, to work for us.
But, knowing how this state's legislature does math, they'll just keep trying that budget cut idea, even though all that's done is leave the state neglected and 49th in everything. Because in GOP math, zero revenue + nothing left to cut - everything's worn out = corporate profits + GOP math = infallable
Rick1962:
--- Quote from: Baloo Uriza on July 16, 2016, 03:33:48 AM ---
--- Quote from: Bobby5280 on July 15, 2016, 12:27:37 PM ---It's too bad ODOT can't funding to upgrade a LOT more of US-69 to Interstate standards. There is a huge amount of truck traffic on that corridor. At least these upgrades in Calera and McAlester will be relatively painless. There's next to nothing in terms of property to buy and demolish to make room for the new road. Frontage roads already run alongside those segments.
--- End quote ---
Maybe if we unsuspended the exploration tax that previously financed this state, even at their low rate. Not like oil companies are going to move away from reserves larger than Saudi Arabia, and no reason we shouldn't be using this state's third largest natural asset (after sun and wind), when it's going to get pumped out anyway, to work for us.
But, knowing how this state's legislature does math, they'll just keep trying that budget cut idea, even though all that's done is leave the state neglected and 49th in everything. Because in GOP math, zero revenue + nothing left to cut - everything's worn out = corporate profits + GOP math = infallable
--- End quote ---
Even if the State were flush with cash, the political powers-that-be in SE Oklahoma would never allow the remaining podunks south of McAlester to be bypassed.
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