OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Eddy Dempsey, R-Valliant, today called on the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) to improve rural roadways in Oklahoma.
Dempsey met with ODOT last week to discuss the Valliant project and rural roadways in House District 1. The Valliant project is part of a longtime effort to expand the US-70 corridor between the Indian Nation Turnpike and Idabel. It was initially set as a 480-day project. A total of 760 work days have been completed as of August 2023, with 226 days left in the contract. With ODOT’s approval or denial, the contractors can add winter break from Dec. 21 through Feb. 21.
“I find it unbelievable that ODOT allowed the contractor to have two winter breaks, even though they are behind schedule,” Dempsey said. “This lack of planning and coordination undermines ODOT’s credibility and raises serious concerns about their management of infrastructure projects.”
A recurring topic of conversation was construction blocking business access and a consistent lack of communication with business owners.
“ODOT rules mandate business access signs,” Dempsey said. “Despite my efforts, they were only installed in my district after I pushed for them to be installed. On top of that, traffic has severely increased due to the ongoing construction, causing significant disruptions for local businesses. ODOT is failing at their job, and my community is suffering as a result.”
At the meeting, Dempsey asked ODOT to define words such as temporary and fair. The only definition provided was temporary, and it was defined as not permanent. As a result of how they operate, Dempsey said their definitions must differ from his own.
A further topic of discussion was ODOT’s failure to repair and maintain rural highways. According to ODOT’s data, 65% of fatal crashes occur on rural roadways despite rural residents making up only 34% of the population.
“That alarming statistic highlights the disproportionate risk faced by those living in rural areas compared to their urban counterparts,” Dempsey said. “ODOT has a responsibility to use the taxpayer dollars they’ve been entrusted with to ensure the safety of rural roads and protect the lives of Oklahomans.”
Get Local News!
