Published: November 06, 2009 12:50 pm      

ODOT presents plan at library

Ada — The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) held a presentation and a public forum on long-term transportation planning for the state of Oklahoma for the next 25 years. The 2010-2035 Long Range Plan was presented on the second floor of the Ada Public Library.

ODOT public involvement manager Craig Moody said the plan is updated with input from the public every five years.

“What are we doing and how are we involving the folks? We have our public meetings, we work with our federal partners, we’re working with counties, the cities and anybody we can get involved to talk to us about what they think the future in transportation needs to be,” Moody said. “What direction are we headed?”

Moody said the plan will include transportation maintenance, safety, the economy, the environment, and many different modes of transportation.

“The purpose, basically, is to discuss economic vitality, our safety, our security, accessibility, options to get around and the environment,” he said.

Moody said cable barrier has been an effective safety tool along Oklahoma highways.

“We’ve put over 100 miles of cable barrier across the state of Oklahoma. That’s done great to reduce the accidents, the cross-overs, and the head-on collisions. It’s working wonderfully. Any time we can go back and put in a concrete barrier, we can recycle that cable barrier and move it to someplace else.”

Moody said the plan is being talked about all over Oklahoma and ODOT is finding out what different areas want from a transportation system.

“Regionally, we’re finding out what’s important,” Moody said.

Moody said public feedback is a very important part of their planning.

“The purpose of our meeting is to involve you,” he said. “It helps us look in the future and guide us in the right direction so that we make the right choices and put the funds where they need to be.”

To give feedback to ODOT, email them at 2035LRP@odot.org or call (405) 521-2704. To learn more, visit www.oklongrangeplan.org.

“We’re planning on coming back in the summer and we want to finalize this process in the Fall of 2010,” Moody said.