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ODOT approves 24 lake-access projects totaling roughly $8 million; counties to manage construction
Summary
The Transportation Commission approved 24 additions to the Lake Access Program across eight districts totaling roughly $8 million; counties and cities will be responsible for initiating and completing the work.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation commission approved 24 additions to the Lake Access Program covering projects in eight field districts. The commission approved the list and the associated awards during its June meeting.
The projects were requested by county commissioners and a small number of municipal applicants. ODOT staff said the program accepts applications online and that applicants are prioritized based on criteria intended to spread funding across divisions. The department noted the program budget for this year is $8,000,000 and said the program may be unfunded in the next fiscal year.
Approved projects include (district, project sponsor, location, amount): District 1—Cherokee County maintenance crew (Lake Nokiel? [sic] entry), Cherokee County requested for Lake 10 Killer — $220,000; Haskell County for Lake John Wells — $271,000; Muskogee County commissioners for Hopewell Park on the Arkansas River — $800,000; Okmulgee County for Okmulgee Lake — $540,000; Sequoyah County for Robert S. Kerr Reservoir — $100,000. District 2—Marshall County for Lake Texoma — $400,000; Pittsburg County for Lake Eufaula at Juniper Point — $200,000; Pushmataha County for Sardis Lake — $565,000. District 3—Garvin County for Longmire Lake — $1,000,000; Elmore City for Elmore City Lake and Recreation Area — $20,000. District 4—Noble County for Lake McMurtry — $1,470,000; City of Edmond for a recreational area (“uncommon ground”) — $2,600,000. District 5—Custer County for Foss Lake — $42,000 and $65,000 (two separate parts). District 6—Alfalfa County for Great Salt Plains Lake & National Wildlife Refuge — $334,000. District 7—Caddo County for Fort Cobb Lake — $438,000; Grady County for Chickasha Lake — $600,000; Cotton County/City of Walters for Lake Boyer — $55,000; Comanche County for Lake Latonka — $180,000. District 8—Creek County for Heyburn Lake (two projects) — $370,000 and $325,000; Delaware County for Grand Lake — $150,000; Osage County for Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve — $95,000; Tulsa County for Swift Park Boat Launch on the Arkansas River — $265,000.
ODOT staff emphasized counties will be responsible for initiating, constructing and completing each project. Commissioners asked how projects are vetted; staff replied that requests are submitted by local entities via an online system (Smartsheet) and are evaluated on criteria including cost and geographic distribution.
The commission voted to approve the package; staff said the legislature did not line-item the lake-access program in the most recent budget and the program’s continued funding in future years is uncertain.
Ending: Commissioners approved the awards and thanked staff for the vetting process. ODOT said it will notify applicants of next steps and that counties will manage construction and reporting for each project.
