OKLAHOMA CITY — Transportation officials said Monday they aren't writing their eight-year highway plan until they know money will be rolling in.

This year, not all the money rolled in.

Officials heard about the department’s funding status and an update on bridge inspections at the November Transportation Commission meeting in Oklahoma City on Monday.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation receives appropriations each year to maintain the state’s highways and bridges, but also receives money under legislation if there is 3 percent growth in general revenue funds. House Bill 1176, which passed in 2006, is designed to move from a $200 million annual allocation eventually up to $470 million based on the 3 percent trigger each year. In January, the Board of Equalization determined there was not 3 percent growth, meaning a loss of about $32.5 million in estimated funding for the transportation department. It did receive $17.5 million.

“That money is paramount for us to receive,” said Gary Ridley, transportation director.

He said until the Board of Equalization tells the department if it will receive the $50 million in extra funding, he will not continue updating the eight-year plan that is typically in the drafting phase at this time of year and out to the public and the commission by January or February.

“If (we) don’t reach the 3 percent next year, (we) will have to slide projects out of the eight-year plan,” he said, noting the department will wait until the Board of Equalization gives the accurate numbers in January. The eight-year plan may be out by March, he said.

“It would be remiss to present the commission with a program until money is forthcoming,” he said.

If there is not a 3 percent growth next year, he said, that could mean a loss of $65 million from where the department should be, which concerns Ridley.

The average bridge costs about $2 million to $2.5 million to build. The $32.5 million loss could impact about 12 to 15 bridge projects, Ridley said.

This year’s eight-year plan focused heavily on bridge replacement, road rehabilitation, installation of highway barriers and the creation of shoulders on about 400 miles of two-lane highways. Ridley said a lot of work has been done on roads and bridges so far and about 95 to 100 miles of cable barriers have been installed. But if the money doesn’t come in again, some projects won’t get done.

As for bridge inspections, Chief Engineer John Fuller said the department inspected all 64 of the fracture critical bridges after a Minnesota bridge collapse in August. No surprises were found, he told commissioners.

The bridge inspections were in addition to the regular inspection cycle and mostly look at whether there are cracks in the steel, said Bob Rusch, bridge division engineer for the department.

He said if there were previously cracks in the steel they look at whether cracks have grown. Law requires they inspect fracture critical bridges every two years. Fracture critical bridges are those that are an older design and may not remain standing if one side is damaged. Fuller said some are inspected more frequently. The inspections cost about $700,000.



Jaclyn Houghton is CNHI News Service Oklahoma reporter.