STATE ISSUES
Major Projects
The Chamber supports a continued focus on improvements, mobility and traffic management on the urban Oklahoma City interstate system (I-35, I-44, I-40, I-235) to promote economic development and, therefore, will advocate for full funding and timely completion of work on the following major interchanges/projects:
Regional Focus
The Chamber supports the ODOT/OTA regional transportation focus with the strategic objective of identifying, maximizing, preserving and protecting existing transportation assets. The Chamber further supports this study’s ultimate strategic goal to create additional transportation capacity to protect and maximize the integrity of the entire regional transportation system to meet the continued dynamic population growth trends and resulting increased traffic loads in our region.
Turnpike Authority Long-Range Plan
The Chamber supports the long-range Advancing and Connecting Communities and Economies Safely Statewide (ACCESS) Oklahoma Plan to develop a highly effective and viable state turnpike system, including construction of new access points at appropriate locations across Oklahoma to enhance safety and access, promote economic development and provide and protect adequate revenues to achieve these long-range objectives.
As part of this long-range plan, the Chamber specifically supports improvements to the following existing high- speed facilities:
As well as construction of the following new alignment high-speed expressway facilities in the Oklahoma City region and associated improvements:
The Chamber supports the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s (OTA) efforts to enhance safety, increase travel time reliability, allow passage of high/wide loads and create additional interchanges such as I-44/Wellston, OK; and I- 44/Amber, OK.
ODOT Eight-Year Plan
The Chamber supports providing adequate annual dedicated funding necessary to preserve and implement the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s eight-year construction work plan. Furthermore, the Chamber will strongly oppose any effort to divert dedicated transportation funding to other areas of government.
ROADS Fund
The Chamber supports raising the cap on the Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety (ROADS) Fund, the key funding mechanism for ODOT’s Eight-Year Plan, to combat ongoing inflation and reduced purchasing power for materials, manpower and maintenance.
Nationally Ranked Bridge Program
The Chamber supports providing adequate annual dedicated funding for ODOT to maintain continued investment toward addressing Oklahoma’s structurally deficient bridges on the state’s highway system and further enable ODOT to maintain a nationally leading bridge improvement program.
Sustainable Funding
To address the declining transportation revenues associated with fuel tax, the Chamber supports the research and development of sustainable and growth-based funding alternatives tailored to Oklahoma’s future needs in support of transportation infrastructure.
Infrastructure Tax
The Chamber opposes legislation to place disproportionate taxes or unnecessary regulations on infrastructure/materials/construction that would have a negative impact on Chamber-supported transportation projects and economic development.
U.S. 412 Interstate Conversion
The Chamber supports the recent federal designation of U.S. Route 412 as a federal interstate highway to foster increased safety, economic development and connectivity across Oklahoma. Developing U.S. 412 to interstate standards will enhance travel and commerce to the Oklahoma City region through improved links with Interstate 35.
Ports of Entry
The Chamber supports providing adequate annual dedicated funding to the weigh station revolving fund and staffing levels for the timely completion and effective use of weigh stations at Oklahoma’s ports of entry to ensure the protection of Oklahoma’s roads and bridges from unnecessary damage caused by overweight freight loads.
State Transit Funding
The Chamber supports protecting and dedicating state revenues in the amount of $6.9 million allocated into the State of Oklahoma’s Public Transit Revolving Fund to meet citizen demand for public transit.
The Chamber supports the continued implementation of ODOT’s Statewide Transit Policy Plan through the Office of Mobility and Public Transit.
Heartland Flyer
The Chamber supports protecting and expanding passenger rail service as an important transportation option for both rural and urban Oklahomans. The Chamber will work with the Oklahoma congressional delegation, the Oklahoma state Legislature, ODOT, Amtrak, the City of Oklahoma City, Class 1 Railroads and the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) to oppose efforts to reduce or eliminate state or federal funding received by Oklahoma to operate the Heartland Flyer Amtrak service to Fort Worth, Texas. Moreover, the Chamber
supports ongoing efforts by ODOT to negotiate with the State of Texas and Amtrak to ensure Amtrak can be maintained as the passenger rail carrier.
The Chamber is taking active steps with our partners to pursue the objective of extending the Heartland Flyer Amtrak service to Newton, Kansas, which would connect Oklahoma City to Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago and other locations on the national Amtrak system. Furthermore, the Chamber supports the designation of the entire Heartland Flyer line (Fort Worth – Oklahoma City – Newton – National Network) as a national Amtrak route within the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Rail Administration’s specific “Corridor Identification Program.” This designation would serve to assist with the multi-million dollar federal/state burden/cost-sharing and would strategically address a significant gap in the national Amtrak system.
Interstate Commerce
The Chamber will oppose policies to limit the ability of Class 1 and short line railroads to conduct interstate commerce.
The Chamber supports the development of technology and effective transportation strategies to increase the safety and efficiency of interstate commerce. For example, the Chamber supports existing state law allowing for the platooning of semi-trucks.
Autonomous Vehicles
The Chamber supports the creation of a regulatory environment that makes Oklahoma a leader in safely using autonomous vehicles and does so without restricting their deployment and further innovation.
ODOT Rail Plans
The Chamber supports implementation of the Oklahoma State Rail Plan and Oklahoma Freight Transportation Plan developed by ODOT.
Seat Belt Law to Protect Childhood Safety
As the only U.S. state lacking such a sensible law, the Chamber supports passage of legislation to require those 8-17 years of age to wear seat belts while being transported in the back seat.
MUNICIPAL ISSUES
Oklahoma River Bridges
The Chamber supports construction of iconic bridges on Interstate 35 across the Oklahoma River. Replacing existing river bridges with landmark bridges would showcase Oklahoma City at the confluence of two major U.S. interstate highways (Interstates 35/40) and facilitate increased sporting events and tourism in the Horizons District, Boathouse District, the Chickasaw Nation’s First Americans Museum/OKANA resort, as well as enhance connectivity across the river.
Mass Transit/Commuter Rail
The Chamber supports implementation of transit programs that will best serve central Oklahoma including the Central Oklahoma Transit and Parking Authority (COTPA) 2005 Fixed Guideway Transit Study and its following component:
The Chamber further supports efforts by the RTA, consisting of core central Oklahoma cities/population centers, to launch future regional transit services. The Chamber will work with the RTA, Oklahoma state Legislature, COTPA, municipal governments, ODOT and Class 1 railroads to conduct early-stage planning for introducing commuter rail service into downtown Oklahoma City from Norman and Edmond with potential alternative transportation options to Tinker AFB. Further planning consideration should be given to the potential future expansion of rail service to Will Rogers World Airport, with benefits for downtown access/convention center opportunities, and Yukon.
Intermodal Hub
The Chamber will work with the City of Oklahoma City (COTPA), the Class 1 railroads, ODOT, the Oklahoma state Legislature and ACOG to ensure the continued viability of the intermodal hub at the Santa Fe station that will effectively integrate various modes of transportation (including OKC Streetcar, Amtrak, bus, inter-city bus, future bus rapid transit and future commuter rail) and enhance economic development opportunities.
The Chamber supports efforts to work with stakeholders to maximize alignment and development of future locally preferred alternatives for mass transportation.
Street Improvements
The Chamber supports consideration and pursuit of all available funds for ongoing and future street improvements.
Parking
The Chamber supports continued construction of additional parking and viable park and ride locations, as appropriate on a case-by-case basis, to allow continued economic development downtown.
Alternative Transportation
The Chamber will support the following (sidewalks; BRT; bike lanes; bus service; crosswalks; streetcar) provided appropriate consideration is given to negative traffic impacts and the use of scarce taxpayer resources. We further encourage a balanced, realistic, and thoughtful approach to the prioritization of Oklahoma City transportation needs.
FEDERAL ISSUES
Surface Transportation Funding
The Chamber ultimately supports adequate funding for annual reauthorization of the federal surface transportation program, with continuation of a responsible formula allocation to the states.
The Chamber will work with the Oklahoma congressional delegation and ODOT to secure a permanent funding solution for the Federal Highway Trust Fund (including mass transit programs).
The Chamber supports adequate funding levels to properly maintain the national transportation system.
Federal Capital Improvement Grants
The Chamber supports continued funding for the following federal grant programs, including, but not limited to, BIP, MEGA, SMALL STARTS, NEW STARTS, INFRA, RAISE, bus, and bus facilities grants.
Mike Monroney Center (FAA)/Associated Federal Agencies
The Chamber supports the continued viability of the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center as a strategically important national asset for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and further supports the continuation of its other essential federal government activities in the state.
Clean Air Nonattainment
The Chamber will work with the Oklahoma congressional delegation, ODOT, ACOG, the City of Oklahoma City, the private sector and additional partners to take necessary proactive steps to ensure the Greater Oklahoma City region is not designated as being in nonattainment of federal air quality standards.
National Air Quality Standards
Ground-level ozone and PM 2.5 concentrations in the OKC area have been high, and the region runs a significant risk of violating federal air quality standards (National Ambient Air Quality Standards – NAAQS). Therefore, the Chamber supports maintaining NAAQS at their current level and will oppose any efforts to make them more stringent, which could result in severe negative economic impacts in our region.
National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI)
The Chamber supports ODOT’s efforts to enhance Oklahoma’s existing EV charging network through partnerships with local stakeholders and the private sector.
Waters of the United States
The Chamber supports the May 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Sackett vs. EPA which limited the scope of the proposed expansive federal “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule to streams, oceans, rivers, lakes, and the wetlands that are virtually indistinguishable from them. Therefore, the Chamber opposes renewed efforts by the EPA to vaguely define the WOTUS rule in ways that are not traditionally regulated under the Clean Water Act.
Such an overly broad definition of navigable waters poses serious economic and regulatory complications for: providing the materials needed to build and modernize our country’s infrastructure in an environmentally friendly manner; uses of water in energy exploration; a wide range of agricultural activities; and many other negative impacts.
Freight Rail Regulation
The Chamber opposes any effort by the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to impose additional economic or operational regulation on freight rail operators.
