State needs dedication to make travel projects reality

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November 18, 2009

Anonymous The Enid News and Eagle Wed Nov 18, 2009, 10:41 PM CST

We’re pleased to see the Oklahoma Department of Transportation make a swing through Enid as part of their long-range planning for future transportation needs.

Members of ODOT’s planning and research division met with interested residents and city officials to talk about and update its 20-year-plan to meet short-term and long-term transportation needs. The plan covers all facets of transportation, public travel and moving people and goods in the state.

Enid is under-served when it comes to highways, and good ideas were mentioned about making U.S. 81 a “super-two” highway north of Enid, and also of four-laning U.S. 412 all the way to Woodward. These are ideas that have been kicked around for years, but getting any progress on these is very slow.

ODOT officials also said they are hearing calls across the state for high-speed rail service, and certainly any kind of expanded passenger rail service would benefit Enid and northwest Oklahoma.

We can wish and dream all we want. Nothing will actually be accomplished without a comprehensive transportation plan – and more importantly – the funding to go along with it.

Our highway system in Oklahoma and in the nation is crumbling. The Obama administration wants to put stimulus money into high-speed rail – a laudable goal – but passenger rail systems always have and always will rely on federal subsidies to make them viable.

What we need is a dedication to updating our interstate and highway system, air transportation and rail service, a comprehensive plan to include a dedicated funding source and a willingness among legislators to keep the fund solid and intact to see the projects through.

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State needs dedication to make travel projects reality

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