Oklahoma City, OK – Recently, the Department of Transportation announced that they would approve the requests of U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and James Lankford (R-OK) to award $19.5 million from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Program to Oklahoma City’s Equitable Transit Access for All project and $160,000 to Rogers County’s Flint Road Planning Project.
Oklahoma City’s plan will enhance the pedestrian and rider experience through funding amenities that include concrete pads, Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility improvements, covered bus shelters, benches, lighting, trash cans, and bike racks.
Additionally, it will be supplemented by Oklahoma City’s MAPS 4 program—a penny sales tax designed to fund capital projects, neighborhood improvements, and economic development initiatives. For Rogers County, the plan will develop comprehensive propositions for road improvements to accommodate the impacts of renovations and expansion of State Highway (SH) 20 along with the new Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) Interstate 44 (I-44) turnpike interchange to Flint Road.
“This funding addresses priorities identified in numerous planning documents and citizen surveys conducted by Oklahoma City since 2005 – namely accessibility and safety at bus stops. I am confident this project will improve citizen access to work, medical care, and activities,” Sen. Mullin wrote in his requests. “[For Rogers County] This project will support critical safety and mobility goals for Rogers County as well as the residents and economy of northeast Oklahoma. I strongly support this application.”
“These RAISE grant awards are a huge win for Oklahomans. I’m proud to have worked alongside Senator Mullin to secure this funding to provide our communities with the resources they need to make significant changes to improve accessibility, economic development, and transportation in Oklahoma. I look forward to seeing the implementation of the Oklahoma City project, and the advancement of the Rogers County project that will increase the safety and efficiency of our state’s transportation system,” said Sen. Lankford.
“We are thrilled to receive this RAISE grant, the largest in OKC history,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. “This grant will work in tandem with MAPS 4 dollars to help us provide better public transit for all the residents of America’s 20th-largest city. I am grateful for the support we received from Senators Mullin and Lankford as we pursued this grant. We know their advocacy was important.”
“I am delighted our RAISE application to develop a Comprehensive Plan will allow us to start the complicated process of improvements needed to the 1.7 miles of County Road EW. 510 Rd., between State Hwy 88 and the improved portion of State Hwy 20, connecting to the Will Rogers turnpike,” Rogers County Commissioner Ron Burrows said.
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