OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, October 3, 2023 – The president of Transportation Revenues Used
Strictly for Transportation (TRUST) said today his organization plans to ask the Oklahoma
Legislature to consider raising the cap on the annual ROADS Fund allocation to the Oklahoma
Department of Transportation (ODOT) in order to combat inflation projections that could likely
eliminate projects on the department’s ongoing Eight-Year Highway and Bridge Construction
Work Plan.
Neal McCaleb said, “Inflation over the past two years has impacted all levels of society,
including the transportation industry, and it is projected to continue for the foreseeable future.
ODOT is routinely experiencing 30% less purchasing power as it relates to highway and bridge
construction and maintenance as well as manpower and materials. In many cases, it is more than
30% and at its current pace could certainly eliminate projects from the Eight-Year Plan.”
The ROADS Fund is currently capped at $590 million annually and is the main funding
component of the Eight-Year Plan.
“The ROADS Fund allows ODOT to continue to make tremendous progress across Oklahoma,
however without an inflation adjustment, many crucial projects will slow or incur lengthy delays
in a best-case scenario in addition to eliminated projects,” McCaleb said. “The members of
TRUST request the Legislature strongly consider an adjustment to the ROADS Fund cap during
the 2024 regular session. Inflation is not going anywhere and the state of Oklahoma cannot
afford to ride it out when it comes to advancing and maintaining its most valuable asset, the
state’s surface transportation infrastructure system.”
-end-
TRUST is an advocacy group dedicated to restoring Oklahoma’s transportation infrastructure.
We are committed to creating a culture within Oklahoma government that values and adequately
funds transportation as a core priority. Since 2005 TRUST has grown into a diverse coalition of
statewide organizations representing banking, energy, agri-business, construction, chambers of
commerce, public safety, transportation and concerned citizens. To learn more please visit
restoreTRUST.org.
Contact: John Cox, TRUST communications director, 405.255.8117, jdcox@cox.net
View the press release: RestoreTRUST.org
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