County wins FHWA ok, to use state ETR funds to speed flood-repair projects
Summary
Oklahoma County commissioners approved using recently authorized FHWA emergency highway funds and to access a state ETR (efficiency transfer) mechanism to move highway dollars for two flood-related projects; staff said requests cover two projects over five years with amounts described in the meeting record.
Oklahoma County commissioners approved a request to access federal emergency highway funds and to use a state ETR mechanism to accelerate two flood-repair projects.
Commissioner (District 3) presented the item, saying the Federal Highway Administration had approved federal funds after the county’s flooding emergency and staff sought authority to pull money from a state-held ETR account so funds are available sooner rather than allowing them to accumulate. "This will help us access ETR funds…we're asking for 3 14 and $5.12, respectively, over a 5 year period for 2 different spots in Oklahoma County," the presenter said during discussion.
The board moved and approved the request by voice vote. Commission members did not provide additional detail on project locations or the precise statutory mechanism beyond the FHWA approval and the plan to use ETR funds.
Why it matters: Using ETR allocations lets the county spend available highway dollars sooner to address flood damage rather than delaying repairs while funds accumulate. The action clears the county to pursue the state-level transfers and begin project planning.
What happens next: Staff will proceed with the ETR requests and project implementation steps; commissioners did not set additional public hearings or vote counts in the meeting record.
Speakers quoted or cited in this article are drawn from the meeting roster and included in the article's speaker list.
