Washington, D.C. – Oklahoma’s congressional delegation applauded two announcements that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program is awarding $100 million to go towards two highway projects in Oklahoma.

“I’m excited to join my colleagues in Oklahoma’s Congressional Delegation in announcing the more than $100 million in INFRA funding for two significant infrastructure projects in Oklahoma,” said U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Oklahoma.

The funds will be spent on improving sections of I-40 and I-35 in Oklahoma.

“If you’ve driven on I-40 lately, you know this is long overdue,” said U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Oklahoma. “Roads are a critical piece of our society. These kinds of projects are what most Americans think of when you talk about ‘infrastructure’. These funds will be put to good use in Oklahoma.”

This $50 million grant to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation will be used for a lane addition and interchange improvement project on I-40 and the Douglas Boulevard Interchange. These upgrades will improve safety and efficiency for more than 50,000 vehicles per day, of which 15 percent are commercial trucks. These grant funds will help advance this project’s timetable by five years.

Another $50 million grant will be used to improve approximately 7.4 miles of I-35 across the Texas and Oklahoma border. The Red River Bridge Project will have significant positive impacts in both Oklahoma and Texas, including within the Chickasaw Nation. The infrastructure that is currently in place was built in the 1960s and can no longer accommodate current traffic volumes of 50,000 vehicles per day.

“The additional federal investment in these two critical projects is welcome news,” Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz said.

“The two grants that will improve I-40 in Oklahoma City near Tinker Air Force Base and I-35 in south Oklahoma in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation are Oklahoma’s primary interstate routes. Oklahoma serves as a crossroads for the efficient moving of goods and services across the nation.”