By M. Scott Carter
The Journal Record
Posted: 07:16 PM Wednesday, September 1, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY – More than 1,300 of Oklahoma’s 6,800 bridges are either too narrow to support modern vehicles or have structural deficiencies, the director of the state Department of Transportation said Wednesday.
Speaking at a luncheon sponsored by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, transportation Director Gary Ridley said ODOT has repaired or replaced about 530 state bridges since 2005. Ridley said the agency expects to repair or replace another 650 bridges during the next eight years.
“This is, easily, the most number of bridges that the state has ever done,” he said. “Our eight-year plan is fiscally balanced and is re-examined every year; we have delivered on 85 percent of the projects which we said we would do.”
Ridley said 450 state bridges were more than 80 years old and needed to be replaced. Achieving that goal was difficult because his department’s budget has remained flat at a time when construction costs were increasing.
“Construction costs and the cost of maintenance are going up,” he said... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Wed, September 1, 2010
by Crystal Drwenski