Latest news with #OklahomaDepartmentofTransportation
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Fate of Oklahoma-Texas Heartland Flyer uncertain
The Heartland Flyer pulls into the Norman Station, Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – The fate of passenger rail service between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth is on shaky ground after the Texas Legislature declined to fund that state's portion. 'The state of Oklahoma cannot fund that operation of our own accord,' Tim Gatz, Oklahoma Department of Transportation executive director, told his governing board Monday. Gatz previously said the rail line would close as early as this month if Texas failed to fund it. He was not available for comment Tuesday and Wednesday. Gov. Kevin Stitt said he was disappointed Texas did not provide the funds. 'We're not going to pick up their end of that,' Stitt said Wednesday. 'And so we're not sure exactly what's going to happen with that connection.' The Heartland Flyer, an Amtrak route between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, is a jointly funded partnership between Texas and Oklahoma City. Oklahoma's portion for 2025 was $4.5 million. The Texas Department of Transportation's budget for fiscal year 2025 included $2.81 million for the Heartland Flyer, said Laura Butterbrodt, a spokeswoman. She referred additional questions to Texas lawmakers. Oklahoma lawmakers last month passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 urging Texas legislators to continue funding the service. The service was reestablished in 1999 after ending in 1979. 'The Oklahoma State Legislature acknowledges the importance of the continued existence of passenger rail in Oklahoma, and understands that once removed, it would be extraordinarily challenging to restore this service and continue to provide an additional option for Oklahomans,' the SRJ said. Nearly 82,000 rode it last year. Officials were considering expanding it into Kansas allowing travelers to connect to other major routes. 'Kansas recently provided dedicated funding and authority for KDOT (Kansas Department of Transportation) to support passenger rail for the Heartland Flyer extension,' said Philip Harris, a spokesman. 'If the project were to stall in the study phase, evaluating the future use of those funds could be needed.' If the project continues, its targeted operational date is 2029, he said. Amtrak did not respond to a request for comment. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Veto of public records transparency measure draws ire from Oklahoma Attorney General
Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks at a rally outside Oklahoma's Capitol celebrating the state's private school tax credit program on March 12, 2025. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Kevin Stitt's veto of a bill that would provide Oklahomans more recourse in pursuing open records has drawn the ire of the state's attorney general. Stitt vetoed House Bill 2163 that would have formally created a Public Access Counselor Unit in Drummond's office and a deadline-laden process to help those seeking public records. The measure would allow for a person to request a review from the access counselor, who will then determine if the denial violated state law and advise the public body. The government body must then promptly and reasonably comply. 'Oklahomans have several effective tools to ensure transparency and accountability in government,' Stitt's veto message said. 'Public records laws and the courts provide a neutral, fair process to review and resolve disputes over access to information. This bill bypasses that process and concentrates too much power in one office.' Attorney General Gentner Drummond criticized the veto, saying Stitt didn't want him to have increased authority and the ability to hold the governor and his 'failed political appointees' accountable for not following the law. 'As Attorney General, I serve the people of Oklahoma, not bureaucrats or politicians,' Drummond said. 'My client is the state of Oklahoma, not powerful insiders or special-interest groups.' He said the veto would not stop him from upholding the law and fulfilling his duty to Oklahomans. In 2023, Drummond announced he had hired former Republican State Senator Anthony Sykes as his public access counselor to help resolve disputes over open records. Sykes has received 354 complaints and resolved 302, said Leslie Berger, a Drummond spokeswoman. His salary is $99,225, she said. A request submitted in 2024 by Oklahoma Voice to Sykes for assistance in obtaining unredacted flight logs from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation has yet to receive a response. A 2024 Oklahoma Voice investigation found that the names of people on trips Stitt and others took on a state plane were redacted and did not list a purpose for the trip, which experts said appeared contrary to state law. Rep. John Pfeiffer, R-Orlando, the House author, said he is considering a veto override attempt. He said he was frustrated by the veto, adding that he has spent years trying to get the measure passed. 'It seems that this is more of a political thing – an ongoing tiff between the attorney general and governor,' Pfeiffer said. The two Republicans have been at odds over a number of issues. The measure passed the House by a vote of 80-9 and the Senate by a vote of 40-5. A veto override would take three-fourths votes in both chambers because the bill has an emergency clause. Measures without an emergency clause take two-thirds votes in both chambers. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oklahoma-Texas passenger train route could be in jeopardy
The Heartland Flyer pulls into the Norman Station, Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – Passenger rail service between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth could end if Texas lawmakers decline to fund that state's share, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission was told Monday. 'Texas is having a little bit of trouble working that into their legislative budget, and we're optimistic that will happen, but we are going to continue to very closely monitor it,' said Tim Gatz, Oklahoma Department of Transportation executive director. The Heartland Flyer, an Amtrak route between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, is a jointly funded partnership between Texas and Oklahoma. Oklahoma's portion for 2025 is $4.5 million, according to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. If Texas was unable to fund its portion, the Heartland Flyer would cease operations, as early as June, Gatz said. 'We've been through a few other times with similar conditions with Texas, and they've always come through,' Gatz said. 'So, we're not necessarily in a panic yet, but we are monitoring closely.' A spokesman for the Texas Department of Transportation said his agency does not comment on pending legislation. The Heartland Flyer is extremely important to a growing state and growing metropolitan area like Oklahoma City, Gatz said. It offers an alternate mode of transportation for people that may choose not to fly or drive or may not have the means to travel to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Gatz said. If the route is shut down, it will impact ongoing efforts to expand the passenger train route between Fort Worth, Oklahoma City and Newton, Kan., Gatz said. 'I think it changes that dynamic dramatically to the point that if the Flyer didn't exist south to Dallas, Fort Worth, then it pretty much negates all of the work that's been done so far on projecting what that route might look like,' Gatz said. Expanding the line into Kansas would allow travelers to connect with other major passenger train routes. Extending the route into Kansas and connecting it to other locations would require funding through the Federal Railroad Administration, Gatz said. The Heartland Flyer makes stops in Norman, Purcell, Pauls Valley, Ardmore, Gainesville and Forth Worth. It travels 206 miles between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth. The service was reestablished in 1999 after ending in 1979, Gatz said. Ridership has fluctuated over the years, but last year it was 81,918, according to ODOT. Prices vary depending on travel times, but a round trip ticket from Oklahoma City to Forth Worth on Saturday costs $64. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Oklahoma severe weather leads to nine deaths and ongoing coordination efforts, says authorities
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Recent severe weather in Oklahoma has led to nine deaths as severe weather moved throughout the state, says State agencies. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management on Friday released the latest situation update regarding flooding and severe weather impacting the state. The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains activated due to ongoing flooding and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) continues to work alongside emergency managers for coordination efforts with the following organizations: Oklahoma Highway Patrol Oklahoma Department of Transportation Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Oklahoma State Department of Health Oklahoma Corporation Commission Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry Oklahoma Forestry Services Oklahoma Insurance Department Oklahoma National Guard National Weather Service Tribal Nations Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations Residents are asked to report damages to their property at Grady County families stranded after dam collapse washes away road FATALITIES The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed seven flood-related fatalities since April 19: 2 – Cleveland County 4/19 2 – Wagoner County 4/21 1 – Comanche County 4/26 1 – Lincoln County 4/30 1 – Pottawatomie County 4/30 Two additional fatalities are attributed to severe storms: 1 – Adair County 4/19 1 – Hughes County 4/20 RESPONSE COORDINATION Hominy remains under a water emergency today after a water line was damaged due to flooding. Tulsa Police Department Incident Management Team deployed four members to provide incident support. Midwest City Emergency Manager is providing support with public information. Osage Nation, Osage County, Creek County, Pawnee, and Okmulgee County provided water buffaloes. Oklahoma Water Resources Board, Department of Environmental Quality, Oklahoma Rural Water Association, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are continuing to provide technical support for impacts at area dams, including Lake Waxhoma Dam. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is providing sandbags for jurisdictions as needed, including 10,000 for Waurika. The State EOC is supporting requests for swift water rescue teams for Stephens County and City of Waurika. MASS CARE American Red Cross will open a resource center in Lawton at First Baptist Church, 501 SW B. Ave. The center will be open the following days: May 4, 2:00 -6:00 p.m. May 5, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. May 6, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. City of Waurika has a shelter site on standby to open if needed at Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Waurika. Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief will be in Lawton next week to assist homeowners affected by recent floods. Call 1-844-690-9198 or visit Use Be a Neighbor to connect with nonprofits and community organizations ready to help: ROAD CLOSURES Oklahoma Department of Transportation reports the following highways are closed due to flooding: SH-5B is closed south of Walters between SH-5A and US-70 in Cotton County. SH-80 is closed west of Hulbert in Cherokee County Scenic SH-77 is closed downstream of the Lake Murray Spillway in Love County. SH-48 is closed 1.5 miles south of I-40 in Okfuskee County. Local roads or highways remain closed or washed out in 16 counties: Alfalfa Carter Cherokee Cotton Grady Johnston Lincoln Logan Love Marshall Mayes McClain Muskogee Nowata Pottawatomie Stephens Officials are reminding drivers not to drive through flooded roads or drive around barricades to enter a flooded or flood-damaged road. Logan Co. Emergency Management monitoring flood situation amid rainy month STATE OF EMERGENCY A State of Emergency Remains in effect starting April 19 for the following counties Cleveland, Comanche, and Cotton. DIAL 211 For Oklahoma residents seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information, please contact 2-1-1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
I-35 lanes to close at I-44 in Oklahoma City this weekend: See map, construction timeline
Driving on Interstate 35 this weekend may be difficult due to some lane closures. Starting 8 p.m. Friday, May 2, until 6 a.m. Monday, May 5, all southbound lanes on Interstate 35 between Wilshire Blvd. and N 50th St. will be closed for ongoing work in the area. Instead, all southbound traffic on the interstate will be directed to Interstate 44 West. From there, drivers can use southbound Interstate 235 to access Interstate 40 or continue south to other parts of Interstate 35. While the southbound lanes are blocked off, the northbound lanes on Interstate 35 will remain open. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation recommends finding alternate routes on the Drive Oklahoma app. Drivers headed westbound on Interstate 44/Turner Turnpike, looking to avoid the work zone, can continue westbound on Interstate 344/John Kilpatrick Turnpike to southbound Highway 77 to access southbound Interstate 35 and westbound Interstate 44 or locate an alternate route. The eastbound Interstate 44 off-ramp to southbound Interstate 35 will also be intermittently closed during this work. Drivers can take eastbound Interstate 44 to southbound Interstate 235 to access Interstate 35 and Interstate 40. The following ongoing closures are in place through 2025 for bridge reconstruction: Northbound Bryant Ave. is narrowed to one lane between 50th St. and Aluma Valley Dr. through spring 2025. N 63rd St. is closed between Bryant Ave. and Martin Luther King Ave. North and southbound Interstate 35 is narrowed to two lanes in each direction between N 50th St. and Wilshire Blvd. Westbound Interstate 44 is narrowed to one lane from Wilshire Blvd. to Martin Luther King Ave. The southbound Interstate 35 on-ramp from Bryant Ave. is permanently closed. Motorists should expect congestion and delays in the area and are encouraged to plan extra travel time. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: I-35 lanes to close at I-44 this weekend: See map, work timeline
