New ODOT plan allocates more than $144.5 million for Sequoyah County projects

If you‚re tired of the orange barrels and barricades encountered on roadways throughout Sequoyah County, prepare to get even tireder.

Twenty years after the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) adopted its first Eight-Year Construction Work Plan, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission this week approved its newest update.

The Eight-Year Construction Work Plan for fiscal years 2023-30 contains $8.4 billion worth of critically needed transportation improvement projects designed to improve the safety and reliability of Oklahoma‚s highway network. For the first time in the plan‚s 20 years, each plan year averages more than $1 billion in projects programmed across the state.

For District 1, which includes the counties of Adair, Cherokee, Haskell, McIntosh, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Sequoyah and Wagoner, more than $740 million has been allocated for projects in the region. More than $144.5 million of the district‚s allocation has been earmarked for Sequoyah County, 19.5% of the region‚s total.

“Oklahoma‚s highway and bridge network serves as the backbone of the state‚s economy, moving people to work and goods to market while connecting Oklahoma with the nation and the world,” said Tim Gatz, secretary of transportation and ODOT executive director. “A modern and efficient transportation system is essential to sustain a strong economy and improve quality of life for all Oklahomans. Continued investment in the system remains critical as the state grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery.”

Investments in Oklahoma‚s transportation system have made significant impacts to the quality and level of service of the state‚s highway infrastructure in the past 20 years. In 2004, Oklahoma had 1,168 structurally deficient bridges on the highway system, making the state among the worst (49th) nationally for bridge conditions. Oklahoma was ranked fifth in 2021 thanks to strategic planning with the Construction Work Plan and continued commitments from legislators, governors and ODOT officials in the past two decades.

Also updated this week was ODOT‚s Asset Preservation Plan for 2023-26, which includes 330 projects valuing about $502 million worth of maintenance and preservation work to extend the life of the state‚s highway infrastructure.

“Oklahoma strives to be a Top 10 state in other areas of transportation infrastructure by addressing rural two-lane highways with deficient shoulders, improving highway pavement conditions and continuing to focus on highway bridges,” Gatz said. “This updated plan addresses 1,093 miles of rural two-lane highways with deficient shoulders with much-needed safety upgrades, and will improve 4,148 lane miles of highway pavement to a state of good repair. Also, in an effort to sustain the momentum and desired goal of maintaining a less than 1% structurally deficient bridge inventory, the plan will address 340 bridges currently at risk of becoming structurally deficient. The plan targets 659 highway bridges for reconstruction or major rehabilitation. Altogether, the plan contains approximately 1,745 projects valued at more than $8.4 billion.”

Funds allocated for District 1 projects show a consistent increase during the next eight fiscal years, beginning with $97,688,893 for FY2023 and increasing by at least $2 million each year. FY2030 shows an allocation for the region of $102.45 million.

Among the highest profile projects in Sequoyah County planned during the next eight years are on I-40 near Muldrow, U.S. 64 from Roland to the Arkansas state line and work at the I-40/U.S. 59 interchange in Sallisaw. The projects in Muldrow and Sallisaw were originally planned for FY2025, but were both delayed two years to FY2027, and will likely extend beyond FY2030. Preliminary work on U.S. 64 from Roland to Fort Smith begins in FY2025, with the biggest part of the project scheduled to begin in FY2027.

Projects currently underway or planned for FY2023 include:

• $9,891,717 for right of way work on state Highway 10A from two miles east of the SH 10 junction east to the SH 100 junction

• $5,427,683 for concrete patching and pavement rehabilitation on I-40 from mile marker 313.8 east for 5.6 miles

• $3,859,690 for deck replacement on U.S. 64 over the Arkansas River at Fort Smith (money only with the Arkansas DOT)

• $2,745,426 for bridgework and approaches on SH 101 over Polecat Creek extending east of the SH 64B junction for 3.1 miles

• $2,500,000 for bridgework and approaches on SH 101 over Big Skin Bayou east of the U.S. 59 junction for 7.5 miles

• $1,225,000 for right of way and utilities work on I-40 over U.S. 64 for 9.1 miles and over old U.S. 64 (Sequoyah Street in Muldrow) 15 miles east of the U.S. 59 junction For FY2024, planned projects include:

• $11,990,000 for work on SH 92 from 0.5 miles south of the Cherokee County line extending south 2.5 miles

• $11,956,571 for work on U.S. 59 from U.S. 64 north 3.5 miles, including bridgework for Hog Creek bridge

• $3,069,010 for bridgework and approaches on SH 82 over Snake Creek 11 miles north of the U.S. 64 junction

• $1,833,981 for a paint/seal project on the U.S. 64 bridge over the Arkansas River at Fort Smith (money only with ARDOT) Projects planned for FY2025 include:

• $13,500,000 for work on SH 10A from 2 miles east of the SH 10 junction extending east to the SH 100 junction

• $1,500,000 for right of way and utilities work on U.S. 64 over Garrison Creek 20 miles east of the U.S. 59 junction Projects slated for FY2026 include:

• $2,250,000 for resurfacing SH 82 from the U.S. 64 junction extending north 1.5 miles to the Vian city limits

• $800,000 for the SH 100 Lake Tenkiller spillway usage (money only) More than $25 million has been allocated for projects planned for FY2027, including:

• $10,822,000 for bridgework and approaches on I-40 over U.S. 64 for 9.1 miles and over old U.S. 64 (Sequoyah Street in Muldrow) 15 miles east of the U.S. 59 junction

• $8,000,000 for right of way and utilities work on SH 100 from 3.6 miles west of SH 82 extending east to the SH 82 junction

• $4,500,000 for access improvements at the I-40/U.S. 64 junction (MM 325)

• $1,744,000 for right of way and utilities work at the I-40/U.S. 59 interchange in Sallisaw For FY2028, planned projects include:

• $20,000,000 for pavement rehabilitation on I-40 from 0.15 miles east of MM 299 extending east 4.5 miles to 0.35 east of Dwight Mission Road

• $9,000,000 for bridgework and approaches on U.S. 64 over Garrison Creek 20 miles east of U.S. 59 junction Projects planned for FY2029 include:

• $14,000,000 for work at the I-40/ U.S. 59 interchange (rescheduled from FY2027)

• $9,000,000 for bridgework and approaches on U.S. 64 over Garrison Creek 20 miles east of U.S. 59 junction

• $6,000,000 for pavement rehabilitation on I-40 from 1.4 miles west of U.S. 64B extending east to MM 325 The lone project planned for FY2030 was postponed from FY2029:

• $8,000,000 for widening and resurfacing of SH 100 from 3.6 miles west of SH 82 extending east to the SH 82 junction Other projects of local interest include: • $38,725,816 during FY2024 for work on U.S. 59 from Sunset Corner extending west 5.9 miles

• $4,500,000 during FY2027 for bridge rehabilitation on SH 10 over Big Greenleaf Creek