Tulsa World: Road projects hit pothole

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Road projects hit pothole
Two snags at the federal level have caused a cut in road projects worth more than $40 million for Oklahoma.

By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
Published: 10/2/2009 2:24 AM
Last Modified: 10/2/2009 4:20 AM

WASHINGTON — A double-whammy from the federal government will force Oklahoma next month to slash a $53.5 million contract letting on road projects to $6.2 million, according to figures provided Thursday by state Transportation Secretary Gary Ridley.

"We are not doing too good right now,'' Ridley said in something of an understatement.

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., who unsuccessfully worked into Wednesday night to prevent or at least buffer the double dose of bad news for road projects, said the impact will be devastating for construction workers in Oklahoma.

"Now we are going to pay the price,'' said Inhofe.

Projects not expected to be on the state's November list include three in the Tulsa area:

$1.8 million for a system of traffic sensors to provide real-time traffic information on message boards for the Interstate 44 widening project between Riverside Drive to Yale Avenue.

$9.3 million for work on the Gilcrease Extension project for the city of Tulsa to build a two-lane road from the L.L. Tisdale Parkway west to 41st West Avenue.

$12.9 million for additional work on the same Gilcrease Extension project.

Statewide, more than 15 other projects are expected to be dropped from the November list.

Ridley provided that information after Congress allowed an extension of current transportation programs for only 30 days to kick in, along with cancellation of spending authority provided to states in a massive transportation bill several years ago.

Called a rescission, that cancellation is expected to have a $40 million immediate impact on Oklahoma's road program, and that impact eventually could climb to $135 million.

Moreover, the state's flow of federal funds was dealt a blow by the 30-day extension of current transportation law that replaced a three-month extension passed earlier by the House.

Ridley explained the state must meet its debt obligation on bonds.

"That has to come off the top,'' he said. "As you can see, that doesn't leave us any federal funds for the November letting.''

Ridley said the November list essentially will be limited to state-funded projects in Canadian, Greer and Payne counties.

A handful of small projects funded by stimulus dollars also could remain.

Ridley repeated an earlier concern that the state was urged to use stimulus dollars to speed up certain projects to create jobs, only to have projects delayed later.

Even if Congress comes up with a fix at the end of October, when the 30-day extension of current transportation law runs out, Ridley said that would not be enough time to get the delayed projects back on the November list.

That could push those projects into January.

Such delays are not part of the record that Ridley and his agency have built, especially in responding to the Obama administration's rush to get stimulus projects approved.

For the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, he said, it is important to get the money approved quickly for those who pay taxes for roads.

"That's our mission,'' Ridley said.

After various proposals involving bailout money and stimulus funds failed late Wednesday, Inhofe, a key player on transportation issues as the top Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said there is enough blame to go around.

He said the nation's highway program and the American people suffered a major loss because of a calculated decision by some that politics should trump common sense.

Local plans put on hold

Tulsa-area road projects not expected to be on the state’s November list:

$1.8 million for a system of traffic sensors to provide real-time traffic information on message boards for the Interstate 44 widening project between Riverside Drive to Yale Avenue.

$9.3 million for work on the Gilcrease extension project for the city of Tulsa to build a two-lane road from the L.L. Tisdale Parkway west to 1st West Avenue.

$12.9 million for additional work on the same Gilcrease extension project.

Source: Oklahoma Department of Transportation

Jim Myers (202) 484-1424
jim.myers@tulsaworld.com By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau

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	Report Comment papajohn, henryetta (10/2/2009 2:42:18 AM) states that voted for Obama, and support his healthxare reform, are they sufferring too?
	Report Comment Mr. Tweedy, Tulsa (10/2/2009 5:35:29 AM) Put your tinfoil hat away papajohn, this is an $8.7 Billion rescission. It's hitting all states the way it is due to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. It looks like Oklahoma actually got off pretty easy overall, which it probably shouldn't have since it gets more Federal funding than it ever pays in taxes ($1.36 for every $1 collected).
	Report Comment Eagle 4, Tulsa (10/2/2009 6:07:38 AM) This is kinda like a man in a Yugo who drives by the Cadillac dealership every day and thinks - "Boy, if I only had the money..." Bush was buying a Cadillac but he went bust despite this late cinch of his belt.
	Report Comment bearway, Jenks (10/2/2009 6:35:29 AM) So where did the tax money Oklahomans have already paid in to the State go? Why is it we have money for so many other projects, but never can fix our roads?
	Report Comment longhorn sam, westex (10/2/2009 7:01:35 AM) 529 million would have helped out all the states, but instead Gore received that money from our gov. to go to Finland and build a hybrid car thats going to cost 80,000 dollars once the car is finished. Our tax dollars at work.
	Report Comment AdamM, Tulsa (10/2/2009 7:31:59 AM) Great. So, I44 and the Gil are going to take even longer than expected to finish. Does any one remember how long it took highway 51 from Coweta to Wagoner? That took like twenty years to do 10 miles of highway. That highway still sucks. We are waiting more and more for our roads to be finished while continue to pay a higher and higher price.
	Report Comment Mr. Tweedy, Tulsa (10/2/2009 7:32:16 AM) Spare me your outrage, longhorn, and get your facts straight. It's a loan and the companies are American (Tesla and Fisker, both based in California). The majority of the money is to build battery plants in California and the related research of that which will be done in Michigan. And, it's for the manufacture of $39,900 eletric cars primarily. The money that goes towards the $89000 Fisker Karma is primarily engineering costs that will be done by US firms (in the US, don't ya know). But, hey, don't let the facts get in the way of your Glenn Beck crying spell.
	Report Comment Tulsonian, (10/2/2009 8:48:04 AM) It's just a matter of time before the whole highway system collapses. It is unsustainable.
	Report Comment Ric, Broken Arrow (10/2/2009 9:07:35 AM) Take the Low-Water Dams money.
	Report Comment SS_Hippy, Tulsa (10/2/2009 9:35:36 AM) i don't need sensors to avoid I-44 like the plauge.
	Report Comment crzyppl, (10/2/2009 11:08:42 AM) "He said the nation's highway program and the American people suffered a major loss because of a calculated decision by some that politics should trump common sense." Since when has politics EVER trumped common sense?! That's the whole reason why this country is such a mess in the first place.
	Report Comment Ryanoceros, Tulsa (10/2/2009 11:12:07 AM) I'm saving for a helicopter.
	Report Comment Oldfatdude, Shàngdu (10/2/2009 12:17:25 PM) I'm glad I no longer live in Houston. There is so much less construction here.
	Report Comment THESMOKEHOLE, Tulsa (10/2/2009 1:57:46 PM) Doom and gloom...
	Report Comment Charley, (10/2/2009 2:46:23 PM) Who didn't know something would happen, to prohibit Tulsa from having GOOD roads? The politicians think Tulsa doesn't deserve good roads. Besides, Tulsan's vote for morons as leaders, they won't mind. They have a BaseBall Stadium for a sandlot team & the BOK for all the kiddies to see Rck N Roll musicians. I think the tire sales & front-end alignment shops have a powerful lobby ....
	Report Comment aint missbehavin, no thanks (10/2/2009 2:48:09 PM) Id say that it sounds like some folks need to lay off of the sauce and the whine and slide a bud next to um and dodge the potholes like everyone else and suck it up.
	Report Comment WhoseLeft, Tulsa (10/2/2009 5:49:22 PM) Suppose we'd have that construction money if only our two senators had been born inside the United States.
	Report Comment FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (10/2/2009 7:51:31 PM) I agree with Dustyoutlaw on this: we will probly all be dead before any of this is done.
	Report Comment Not Roses, Rotten Egg Award (10/3/2009 1:14:49 AM) Our government has earned the highest award there is for this. The Rotten Egg Award. This stinks to high heaven. There will be a lot of us dead before our streets are fixed. We have approved the money how many times now? Two or Three?

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