Oklahoma Transportation Commission approves 8‑year construction plan, engineering contracts and two settlements

The Oklahoma Transportation Commission on 2025-10-08 approved the Oklahoma Department of Transportation's 2026–2033 eight‑year construction work plan, authorized multiple engineering contracts and supplements, and approved settlements for two contractor claims, the commission's meeting record shows.

Why it matters: The approvals set project priorities and funding commitments across the state, including hundreds of bridge and pavement projects and targeted accessibility work, while the department reported potential near‑term disruptions from an interim federal DBE (disadvantaged business enterprise) rule and uncertainty in federal funding that could affect future lettings.

The commission approved the department's proposed 2026–2033 construction work plan, which the department said includes 460 bridges to be rehabilitated or replaced, 675 miles of improvements to two‑lane highways with deficient shoulders and 2,810 lane miles of pavement improvements. The staff presentation said the work plan comprises 1,266 individual projects and more than $7,080,000,000 in total investment; the commission voted to adopt the plan and move forward with project lettings and prioritization.

Commissioners also approved item 148, a statewide on‑demand wetland and stream mitigation engineering contract. Mr. Hernandez told the commission the department selected five firms — Blackbird Environmental, Freese and Nichols, HDR Engineering, Olson Incorporated and Switchgrass Consulting — under a combined contract value of $1,000,000.

The commission approved a group of engineering contract supplements (item 149) for projects in multiple districts. Presentations described the following supplements and purposes: - District 3, McClain County, I‑35: first supplement to CEC Corporation, $28,390, for survey and right‑of‑way staking and utility relocation work; construction phase included in the 8‑year work plan with a scheduled let date in federal fiscal 2027. (presenter: Mr. Hernandez) - District 3, Pottawatomie County, State Highway 102: first supplement to Smith Roberts Balchweiler, $84,000, to modify plans to include a shared‑use path connecting tribal facilities; construction phase scheduled in federal fiscal 2031. (presenter: Mr. Hernandez) - District 4, Logan County, State Highway…