Oklahoma awarded $124 million federal grant to replace Lake Texoma bridge

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is going to replace the US-70 Roosevelt Bridge across Lake Texoma using the largest federal grant in the agency’s history.

The White House announced this week the project is approved for $124 million through the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Investment Program. The grant will pay for replacement of the bridge, which opened in 1945 and connected Kingston and Durant in southeastern Oklahoma.

Tim Gatz, Transportation Department director, said the grant surpasses the $85 million National Infrastructure Project Assistance grant received in January 2023 that went toward rebuilding the Interstate 44 and US-75 interchange in Tulsa.

“This is exciting news for the state and we’re grateful to Gov. Stitt and members of Oklahoma’s congressional and legislative delegation and the Federal Highway Administration for seeing the importance of this corridor and helping the department secure an additional funding source,” Gatz said. “The Roosevelt Memorial bridge is an outdated design ― nearly 80 years old ― and doesn’t meet current or future traffic needs.”

What to know about the new planned bridge across Lake Texoma

The grant announcement reported the project will improve the efficiency and reliability of moving people and freight, increase resiliency to flooding, and increase safety through a potential pedestrian and bicycle crossing.

Plans are to build the bridge to the south of the existing structure while keeping the current bridge open to traffic. The new bridge will be four lanes with shoulders, rumble strips and lighting. Engineers have not determined yet the ultimate fate for the existing bridge, which carries 8,500 vehicles per day.

Although half of the estimated cost of the project is coming from this grant, House Bill 2915, passed in the 2024 legislative session, gave state transportation officials permission to bond up to $200 million against the project, which is currently estimated to cost more than $250 million.

The legislation provides an opportunity to consider advancement of the project in the annual eight-year plan.

“We are committed to this priority project and want to move it forward as responsibly and as expeditiously as possible to meet the needs of the surrounding communities,” Gatz said.

The US 70 grant is funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and is one of 13 bridges deemed nationally significant approved for funding by the Federal Highway Administration.