State Official Says Bridge Repair Progress Being Made

Friday, August 24th 2007, 6:29 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The head of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation says progress is being made in fixing roads and bridges but sustained funding increases are needed to keep up. Gary Ridley spoke Thursday before the state House Transportation Committee, which is conducting an interim study on transportation needs.

ODOT didn't get $32.5 million in promised road funds this year because under 2006 legislation, the money was contingent upon state revenue growing by 3%.

Ridley says his agency can't meets its goals under an eight-year plan for repairing and replacing roads and bridges if it suffers further funding shortages.

He says crews are inspecting bridges to ensure the safety of motorists they will be repairing and replacing hundreds of bridges in the coming years.

He warned that the task may be complicated because of the possibility of declining federal highway funding.