Inhofe Praises Committee Passage of Surface Transportation Bill

Following the unanimous vote on the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021 (STRA) by the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe praised its passage and announced how this key legislation will benefit Oklahoma.

“This bill included a number of provisions that benefit Oklahomans, including my provisions to designate U.S. Route 412 as a future interstate, ensure that the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System is eligible for much-needed funding to complete its deepening, and continue to improve rural roads across Oklahoma,” said Inhofe. “This bipartisan legislation is proof that we can enact policy that furthers Oklahoma priorities and brings crucial investment to the roads and bridges that connect communities, support economic productivity, and create jobs all across America.”

The STRA will directly benefit Oklahoma through the following:

Apportionment: Oklahoma will receive $840 million during the first year that the STRA is enacted. This equates to a 21 percent increase in funding in one year. For the full five years of authorization, Oklahoma will receive $4.37 billion – guaranteeing that Oklahoma continues to receive a healthy contribution to the Highway Trust Fund.

US-412 Future Interstate Designation (Inhofe’s Bill): S.1766, included in this legislation, designates U.S. Route 412, from I-35 in Noble County, Oklahoma, through Tulsa to I-49 in Springdale, Arkansas, as a future interstate. While most major metropolitan areas across the nation have two or more interstate highways connecting their region, the Tulsa area is served by just one interstate highway. With the Tulsa area growing to a population of more than one million after the 2020 Census, it is clear that a future interstate designation for U.S. Route 412 is needed to improve connectivity and support the area’s further economic growth.

McClellan-Kerr Eligibility for Additional Funding (Inhofe’s Bill): S. 1765, also included in this legislation, ensures the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System is eligible for additional funding through certain federal-aid highway programs. With worldwide demand for waterborne commerce expected to more than double by 2025, Oklahoma’s inland waterways will require investment to ensure they are able to meet the demand. Funding eligibility paves the way to deepening the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System from 9-feet to 12-feet, – increasing the capacity of each barge by 200 tons, increasing the overall freight capacity by 40 percent, and increasing business sales by $250 million annually.

Rural Surface Transportation Grant ProgramThe Oklahoma Department of Transportation is dedicated to safety improvements for rural two-lane highways. STRA provides for $2 billion over 5 years for a new competitive grant program specifically intended for the improvement of rural roads. This program will boost ODOT’s efforts to address the deficient shoulders on 55 percent of Oklahoma’s two-lane highways. Sen. Inhofe also secured an amendment to the legislation making Oklahoma’s projects more competitive within the rural grant program.

Environmental Streamlining: The STRA builds on the streamlining provisions Sen. Inhofe negotiated in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015. It codifies the “One Federal Decision” policy that will accelerate project delivery, allowing for the review, permitting and approval processes to be conducted more efficiently, saving Oklahoma time and money when starting new infrastructure projects. It also establishes deadlines for interagency consultation for section 4(f) reviews and provides the Department of the Interior with categorical exclusions for certain oil and gas pipelines on Federal and Tribal lands.

Workforce DevelopmentThis provision facilitates additional workforce development opportunities through current DOT programs, including pre-apprenticeship programs and vocational training opportunities for construction workers. These provisions will help Oklahoma address its current workforce gaps as well as future workforce needs resulting from emerging technology. It also modifies an existing grant program that authorizes award grants to educational institutions and state DOTs to provide hands-on career opportunities to meet current and future needs.

Bridges: S.1817, the Bridge Investment Act, is also included in the STRA. It establishes new opportunities for state and local governments to invest in bridges both on and off the National Highway System. Because of Sen. Inhofe’s work in SAFETEA-LU, MAP-21 and the FAST Act, Oklahoma received the federal resources needed to prioritize bridge repairs and replacement. Oklahoma is currently ninth in the nation for having the fewest number of structurally deficient highway system bridges. While great progress has been made since the FAST Act, more work remains for hundreds of bridges across Oklahoma. STRA provisions give additional tools to Oklahoma in order to continue addressing bridge conditions. It provides up to $6.6 billion over five years to address the national backlog of bridge maintenance.