Highlights of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission’s April 7, meeting include the kick off of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s work zone awareness initiative in April, a briefing on the state of Oklahoma’s bridges in response to the recent National Transportation Safety Board report and updates on the I-44/US-75 “Traffic Henge” in Tulsa and I-40/Douglas Blvd. interchange in Midwest City.
ODOT Executive Director Tim Gatz read a proclamation from Gov. Kevin Stitt declaring April 21-25, 2025 “Oklahoma Work Zone Awareness Week” and debuted two new work zone safety public service announcements for social media, which can be viewed here and here.
The safety campaign “Make it Home Safe: Make Oklahoma Safe,” was created by ODOT and OTA to help remind motorists of their responsibility to be safe in highway work zones and coincides with the National Work Zone Safety Awareness campaign led by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
In its history, 73 ODOT and OTA employees have been killed in the line of duty, more than any other state agencies except the military.
“We hope the traveling public will support us not just in April, but all the time. We ask everyone to buckle up and use caution in work zones, slow down and know there are people working behind the cones who also want to get home safely,” Gatz said.
At the meeting, commissioners donned orange ties to help kick off the department’s month-long observation. Other events to be held include:
- A moment of silence
- Several notable sites will glow orange, among them Oklahoma City’s SkyDance bridge over I-40 and Tulsa’s ONEOK Boathouse
- Teen driver events are being held in Seiling, Coweta and Tulsa with partners Oklahoma Work Zone Safe and Oklahoma Challenge
With the recent discussion of the NTSB report following the Francis Scott Key bridge hit in Maryland, Gatz assured commissioners that Oklahoma’s navigational bridges are in good condition and well protected. He mentioned some navigational structures have pier protections both upstream and downstream as reinforcement to withstand any potential impacts. Since the I-40 Webbers Falls bridge tragedy in 2002, the department has invested substantially in its highway bridge infrastructure and improved its national ranking from 49th to Top 10.
Commissioners were briefed on the most expensive contract in ODOT history as work began Monday on the $252 million I-44/US-75 interchange in Tulsa. The empty piers on site, set to be completed in 2028, were constructed in an earlier phase due to available funding and to save construction time as well as reduce traffic impacts during the remaining projects. The area has since earned the moniker “Traffic Henge” and “Tulsa’s Stonehenge” by area residents. A future project will complete the widening of I-44 between the I-44/I-244 Western Split and the Arkansas River.
Gatz also updated the commission on I-40 at Douglas Blvd. in Midwest City. Traffic was recently shifted onto the new eastbound pavement at that location in anticipation of removing the last piece of the old Douglas Blvd. bridge later this spring. The I-40 project, running from Town Center Dr. in Midwest City east to the I-240 interchange, is on schedule and expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Drivers can view or subscribe to receive traffic advisories by email at www.oklahoma.gov/odot or follow ODOT on X or Facebook.
The nine-member Oklahoma Transportation Commission, appointed by the governor and legislative leadership to oversee the state’s transportation development, awards contracts monthly for road and bridge construction.
Commissioners voted to award 16 contracts totaling nearly $23 million to improve interstates, highways and bridges statewide. The public may access a list of all awarded contracts at the ODOT Business Center https://oklahoma.gov/odot/business-center/contracts-and-proposals.html
The next Oklahoma Transportation Commission meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, May 5. The meeting will be available to view live via Ustream and past meetings are available on YouTube and vimeo.com/odot.
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At Monday’s Oklahoma Transportation Commission meeting, partners Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and Oklahoma Work Zone Safe gathered for a group photo to kick off a month of bringing Work Zone Awareness to Oklahoma. Gov. Kevin Stitt proclaimed April 21-25 as “Oklahoma Work Zone Awareness Week” to remind motorists to slow down in work zones and to remember the 73 employees killed in the line of duty.
At Monday’s Transportation Commission meeting, Oklahoma Department of Transportation Executive Director Tim Gatz gave an update on I-40 at Douglas Blvd. in Midwest City. Traffic was recently shifted onto the new eastbound pavement at that location in anticipation of removing the last piece of the old Douglas Blvd. bridge later this spring. The I-40 project runs from Town Center Dr. in Midwest City east to the I-240 interchange, is on schedule and expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
