November Commission Meeting Wrap-Up: National Pavement awards received; $68 million in projects awarded

Oklahoma Department of Transportation

Press Release

Friday, November 07, 2025

Highlights of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission’s Monday, Nov. 3 meeting include receiving two national pavement awards, approving the next step on the US-70 Roosevelt bridge project, briefing on several interim studies and laws and approving wrong-way improvements in the Tulsa metro.

The Oklahoma Asphalt Pavement Association presented the national Asphalt Pavement Alliance’s 2024 Perpetual Pavement Award by Design to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s District 1 in Eastern Oklahoma. The nearly $32 million project was a pavement reconstruction project on US-69 near Eufaula in McIntosh County. The award is shared with Koss Construction.

The 2024 Perpetual Pavement Award by Conversion went to District 4 in north-central Oklahoma. The nearly $24 million project was a pavement rehabilitation project on I-40 near El Reno in Canadian County. The award is shared with Haskell Lemon Construction. These prestigious awards honor exceptional long-life asphalt pavements in the U.S. that demonstrate outstanding design, exceptional quality and construction.

Commissioners approved $6 million in contracts providing $2 million each to three design-build teams. The teams will work directly with ODOT to create proposals for a design and construction schedule to replace the US-70 Roosevelt Memorial Bridge over Lake Texoma using a unique project delivery method. After evaluating the proposals, the highest scoring of the three teams will be presented to the Commission in the spring as the team to continue its contract with ODOT to deliver final plans and construction services. Construction is anticipated to start in the summer of 2026.

ODOT Executive Director Gatz touched on interim studies on freight transportation, investing in workforce and technological development in work zones. The department joined forces with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to examine the happenings within any given work zone and improvements that can be made. The study found the leading causes in work zone crashes to be speed and distractions.

A law that recently went into effect to address distracted driving was HB 2263 which fines drivers for texting or using a cellphone while in school or construction zones. It does allow some liberties while using hands-free or voice-activated technology or while talking to emergency responders.

Commissioners also approved a nearly $5 million project to install signs, striping and delineators to deter wrong-way incursions in Broken Arrow, Sand Springs and Tulsa. These efforts are similar to installations along I-35 and I-40 and in the Oklahoma City metro. About 90 different ramps and diamond interchanges will see installations this spring.

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 36 contracts totaling more than $68 million to improve interstates, highways and bridges statewide. The public may access a list of all awarded contracts at the ODOT Business Center or in PDF format Oct. 9 and Oct 16.

The next Oklahoma Transportation Commission meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 1. The meeting will be available to view live via Ustream and past meetings are available on YouTube and vimeo.com/odot.

View the full article: Oklahoma.gov