ODOT offers office hours and evening outreach to hear Hochatown concerns about highway project

Representatives from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation told Hochatown trustees they will expand community engagement for a highway lane-expansion project, proposing two-hour "office hours" before monthly town-hall meetings and additional evening or multi-day outreach to reach residents and business owners who cannot attend weekday meetings.

Ronda Fair, representing ODOT and the project design team, said the office-hours model is intended to provide one-on-one time with designers and ODOT staff so people can raise access, ingress/egress and business-impact concerns in a less formal setting than large public meetings. "We're looking at lots of different ways to engage the community, including doing things that are not within business hours like the office hours will be," she said and provided a direct contact: phone (405) 517-5670 and email ronda.fair@o..ok.gov for follow-up.

Board members and residents pressed the agency to include evening options and targeted outreach to businesses along the corridor. Town staff said they expect design teams to meet multiple days with business owners and to focus design choices on maintaining access and minimizing negative impacts on local businesses.

ODOT and town staff said they want robust input throughout project development, and agreed to provide a community-engagement plan that will list timing, venues and formats for comment. Residents were urged to contact ODOT using the provided details to suggest times or formats that work for the community.

Next steps: ODOT will finalize a community engagement plan and coordinate with town staff on scheduling office hours and business outreach events.