Bad bridges in Oklahoma now rank better than national average

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A new study shows Oklahoma has cut its number of
structurally deficient bridges in half in less than a decade.
 
 Department of Transportation Director Mike Patterson presented the figures
Monday to the agency's governing commission.

Patterson says Federal Highway Commission data shows the number of structurally deficient bridges dropped from
1,168 in 2005 to 556 currently.
 
 The state has gone from having 17 percent of its bridges structurally deficient
to about 8 percent in that same time period.

Patterson says the national average is about 11 percent.
 
 The Transportation Commission on Monday also awarded a nearly $9 million
contract to build a west end of the new Interstate 40 Crosstown that connects
the interstate to downtown Oklahoma City.
 
 Several ODOT field divisions also were recognized for their tornado-cleanup
efforts.