$124 million grant to help replace Oklahoma bridge made in 1945

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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 “The Roosevelt Memorial bridge is an outdated design ― nearly 80 years old ― and doesn’t meet current or future traffic needs.”

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