Senate Appropriations Chair lauds Oklahoma’s new ranking as Top Ten state for bridges

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson said he was deeply gratified that Oklahoma had moved from being among the worst states in the nation to the best for the condition of the state highway system’s bridges.  On Thursday it was announced that Oklahoma had gone from 49^th in 2004 to 9^th in the nation. Thompson said the low ranking was the result of years of underfunding, but that course was reversed with legislative action 2005.

“It’s taken Oklahoma 15 years, but we’ve gone from being in the bottom ten to now being a Top Ten state for the condition of our bridges.  It was a combined effort of Legislative measures supported by governors, the hard work of the Department of Transportation and with the help of our congressional delegation,” said Thompson, R-Okemah. “I think this is proof that if we work together to find new approaches to old challenges, we can accomplish anything on behalf of our state and its citizens.”

Thompson said in 2004, nearly 1,200 of Oklahoma’s 6,800 highway bridges were considered structurally deficient—there are now just 86 bridges awaiting repair or replacement.

“With a value of $60 billion, our highway system is Oklahoma’s number one physical asset.  Protecting and investing in that asset will support economic growth and job creation and ensure safer roads and bridges for all,” Thompson said.

For more information, contact Sen. Roger Thompson at 405-521-5588 or email Roger.Thompson@oksenate.gov.