OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has released a list of projects that are candidates for use of the $200 million in bond money recently authorized by the state Legislature.
Of the 18 proposed projects, three are in Oklahoma County. Another project is based in Tulsa County and the rest are located throughout the rest of the state, The Oklahoman (http://bit.ly/2clX8gI ) reports.
Department executive director Mike Patterson says the bond money was authorized earlier this year and replaces a portion of the $367 million in budget cuts the agency had to absorb.
Patterson said the $200 million is required to be spent on projects within two years so projects were selected for bond financing based on their size and whether they were ready for construction.
All of the projects were already part of Oklahoma’s eight-year construction plan, and some are already under construction.
Two of the three Oklahoma County projects involve an ongoing effort to widen and improve Interstate 235, and include the replacement of railroad and highway bridges that span the interstate. Those projects are expected to cost $88 million combined.
Work on a Tulsa County bridge where it crosses over Interstate 244 south of the Arkansas River is another candidate for bond financing. Work on the Interstate 35 bridge and approaches over the Washita River in Garvin County, and the resurfacing of eight miles of Interstate 40 in western McIntosh County are also on the list for bond financing.
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Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com