OKLAHOMA
CITY – Oklahoma Department of Transportation Director Gary Ridley said
Friday he will stress maintenance of Oklahoma’s network of roads and
bridges and expansion of passenger rail lines in the state as Gov. Brad
Henry’s new transportation secretary.
Henry tapped Ridley for the
cabinet post after accepting the resignation of Transportation
Secretary Phil Tomlinson, a member of Henry’s cabinet since 2003.
“I’d
like to be able to continue the good policies and work that Secretary
Tomlinson has implemented over the past seven years. They put a good
plan in place,” Ridley said.
Tomlinson, who is also director of
the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, recently told the governor he wanted
to reduce his workload and relinquish his cabinet duties. He will
continue to lead the OTA, which oversees the state’s toll road system.
“Phil
has worn two hats in my administration for almost seven years now, so
he certainly deserves to have some additional time of his own,” Henry
said. “I will miss his expertise on my cabinet, but I am happy that he
has decided to remain in his leadership position at the OTA.”
The
governor’s office said Tomlinson has been instrumental in advancing
Henry’s agenda to improve the state transportation system, including
the approval of record state funding commitments to road and bridge
repair and rehabilitation.
Just last week, the Oklahoma
Transportation Commission awarded $228 million in road and bridge
repair contracts funded by the federal economic stimulus program as
part of the largest amount of transportation dollars spent at one time
in the agency’s history.
The commission awarded a total of $270
million in construction work including 48 road and bridge projects paid
for by federal stimulus funds.
“I appreciated the opportunity to
serve the governor and the state as a cabinet officer, and I’m proud of
our accomplishments,” Tomlinson said. “I know the cabinet post will be
in good hands with Gary Ridley.”
Ridley, a registered
professional engineer, has worked at the Transportation Department for
about 40 years and has been the agency’s director since 2001. Ridley
will remain ODOT director and assume his cabinet secretary duties
immediately.
“I’m honored and certainly humbled at being asked to serve. I can’t tell you how that makes me feel,” he said.
“During
his lengthy career in public service, Gary Ridley has done great things
for the state of Oklahoma, and I’m thrilled that he has agreed to serve
in my cabinet,” the governor said.
“The transportation secretary
is a critical position and it is important to have someone who can hit
the ground running. No one knows more about Oklahoma transportation
than Gary Ridley.”
The post requires Senate confirmation.
Ridley indicated he plans few changes as transportation secretary.
“I think we have a good group. I think Secretary Tomlinson has put together a good team,” he said.
Ridley
said serving in the cabinet position will give him more access to the
governor but that Henry has always been supportive of transportation
infrastructure issues.
“We’ve always had access to the governor’s office if needed,” he said.
Ridley
has said the state is burdened with an $11 billion backlog of road and
bridge repair work. “Improving the system we have is paramount,” he
said.
The state also needs to expand passenger rail service to
open up new corridors north to Newton, Kan., and to Tulsa, he said.
Currently, only Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer serves the state, traveling
daily between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas.