The Chamber supports the OTA’s efforts to enhance safety, increase travel time reliability, allow passage of high/wide loads and create additional interchanges such as I-44/Arcadia, OK; and I- 44/Amber, OK. • South Extension: End connector south to I-35 south of Norman which includes a new Canadian River Crossing between Noble and Purcell. • Outer Loop : Tri-City Connector, to increase access and offer alternative routes from I-40 to I-44 and, ultimately, I-35. OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EIGHT-YEAR PLAN The Chamber supports providing adequate annual dedicated funding necessary to preserve and implement ODOT’s eight- year plan that is a transformative method for continuously improving Oklahoma’s highways and bridges. We acknowledge the continued detrimental impact of inflation on the timely funding and completion of infrastructure projects included within the plan and, therefore, support strategies for identifying funding sources and solutions that will ensure it continues to be viable and as successful as it has been over the last two decades. Furthermore, the Chamber will strongly oppose any effort to divert dedicated transportation funding to other areas of government. ROADS FUND The Chamber supports continued high-level conversations on providing significant further increases to the Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety (ROADS) Fund, the key funding mechanism for ODOT’s Eight-Year Plan, to combat ongoing inflation and reduced purchasing power for materials, manpower and maintenance. SUSTAINABLE FUNDING To address the declining transportation revenues associated with fuel tax, the Chamber supports the innovative research and development of sustainable and growth-based funding alternatives tailored to Oklahoma’s future needs in support of transportation infrastructure. NATIONALLY RANKED BRIDGE PROGRAM The Chamber supports providing adequate annual dedicated funding for ODOT to maintain continued investment toward addressing Oklahoma’s structurally deficient bridges on the state’s highway system and further enable ODOT to maintain a nationally leading bridge improvement program. INFRASTRUCTURE TAX The Chamber opposes legislation to place disproportionate taxes or unnecessary regulations on infrastructure/materials/
construction that would have a negative impact on Chamber- supported transportation projects and economic development.
U.S. 412 INTERSTATE CONVERSION The Chamber supports the recent federal designation of U.S. Route 412 as a federal interstate highway to foster increased safety, economic development and connectivity across Oklahoma. Developing U.S. 412 to interstate standards will enhance travel and commerce to the Oklahoma City region through improved links with Interstate 35. PORTS OF ENTRY The Chamber supports providing adequate annual dedicated funding to the weigh station revolving fund and staffing levels for the timely completion and effective use of weigh stations at Oklahoma’s ports of entry to ensure the protection of Oklahoma’s roads and bridges from unnecessary damage caused by overweight freight loads. STATE TRANSIT FUNDING The Chamber supports protecting and dedicating state revenues allocated into the State of Oklahoma’s Public Transit Revolving Fund to meet citizen demand for public transit. The Chamber supports the continued implementation of ODOT’s Statewide Transit Policy Plan through the Office of Mobility and Public Transit. HEARTLAND FLYER PASSENGER RAIL The Chamber supports achieving long-term funding stability for passenger rail service, known as “The Heartland Flyer”, connecting Oklahoma City with Fort Worth, Texas. Our objective is to work with governmental partners to identify stable, long-term funding sources to mitigate scenarios where continued service is threatened by the current precarious and unsustainable year-to-year funding timetable. Furthermore, the Chamber supports continued efforts to aggressively pursue federal funding opportunities that, if awarded, would connect Oklahoma City to the national rail network via Newton, Kansas. The Chamber will continue to take active steps in partnership with Federal entities, the Oklahoma Legislature, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Congressional Delegation, specific communities, Texas, and Kansas to capitalize on opportunities emanating from Oklahoma’s selection as part of the “Corridor ID” program set forth in the U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021). INTERSTATE COMMERCE The Chamber will oppose policies to limit the ability of Class 1 and short line railroads to conduct interstate commerce.
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