November/December 2016 A Conversation With Secretary of Transportation Gary Ridley towntalk NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 Published Bi-Monthly, By The Oklahoma Municipal Contractors Association P.O. Box 891797, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73189 Rick J. Moore, Editor calendar of events Thursday January 19, 2017 OMCA January membership Luncheon Twin Hills Golf & Country Club Oklahoma City, OK - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tuesday February 14, 2017 Oklahoma City City Council Primary Election Wards 1,3,4 and 7 Oklahoma City, OK - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Thursday February 16, 2017 OMCA February Membership Luncheon Twin Hills Golf & Country Club Oklahoma City, OK - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Thursday March 16, 2017 OMCA March Membership Luncheon Twin Hills Golf & Country Club Oklahoma City, OK - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tuesday April 4, 2017 Oklahoma City City Council General Election (If needed) Wards 1,3,4 and 7 Oklahoma City, OK - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Thursday April 20, 2017 OMCA April Membership Luncheon Twin Hills Golf & Country Club Oklahoma City, OK - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- June 8, 9 & 10, 2017 OMCA Annual Convention Big Cedar Lodge Resort Ridgedale, Missouri 1 IN THIS ISSUE The Informative News Magazine Secretary of Transportation P.O. Box 891797 Gary Ridley ....................................................3 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73189 405/236-2248 Fax: 405/236-2153 I-40 Radio Rd. Interchange E-mail: [email protected] Opens in El Reno .........................................16 OKC Director of Airports OFFICERS Speaks to OMCA Members .........................19 Rich Horrocks President Don Noble Vice-President Jay Lemon Secretary/Treasurer OMCA Members Decorate the Jim King Immediate Past President JD McCarty Center for the Holidays ...........22 CORPORATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Senators Take Oath of Office .......................29 Jeff Allen Kevin Brewer Jeff Burr Robert Gibson Jimmy Jordan Fred Krapff Senate Republicans Bill Nash Donny Niebrugge Leadership Posts Announced .....................31 Craig Parker Doug Walker Senate Democrats Announce ASSOCIATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Leadership Team .........................................40 Travis Brown Steve Decker Don Jacobson Kane Russell Sparks Announces Senate Democrats SPECIALTY-ENGINEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS Committee Assignments ............................42 Jim Benson Todd Brawley Senator Floyd Receives 2016 LIFETIME DIRECTORS (CORPORATE) Damon Markwell Kevin Brewer Elected Women of Excellence Award .........44 Darrell Markwell Don Noble Bill Nash Jimmy Jordan Construction Fatalities in Oklahoma ..........45 Don Niebrugge Fred Krapff Craig Parker Tom Lippert OMCA Members Celebrate Christmas Doug Walker with Children at JD McCarty Center ...........48 LIFETIME DIRECTOR (ENGINEER) Don Douglas Year End Update on Tulsa Street Project Programs ..............................52 LIFETIME DIRECTORS (ASSOCIATE) Charlie Thomason OMCA Welcomes New Members ...............53 DIRECTORS EMERITUS Dave Amis Don Niebrugge Birthdays and Anniversaries .......................54 Brian Brewer Jeff Brewer Bob Noble Art Couch Directory .....................................................64 Don Rheudasill Charlie King Charles Schwarz Larry Lemon Reggie Sullivan PAST DIRECTORS (IN MEMORIUM) Ted Cambell John McConnell Allen Couch A. W. Smalley, Jr. Merle Dinkins H. Seth Wood Ray Foley W. F. Young STAFF Rick J. Moore, Executive Director Vickie L. Moore, Executive Assistant 2 A CONVERSATION WITH SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION GARY RIDLEY By Rick J. Moore Gary Ridley, who spent 44 years working for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, was appointed Secretary of Transportation by Governor Brad Henry in May 2009. He was reappointed to that position by Governor Mary Fallin after her election in November 2010. Since August 2001 Ridley has been Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and in October 2009 he took on additional responsibilities as Director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. He retired from both of these positions in March 2013, but stayed on as Secretary of Transportation. Ridley’s journey up through the ranks provided him with first-hand insights into the whole spectrum of department operations. His ODOT service dates back to 1965, when he joined the department as an equipment operator. He moved up to maintenance superintendent at Kingfisher in 1970 and traffic superintendent at Perry in 1979. In 1983 he became field maintenance engineer at Perry then advanced to Division Five Maintenance Engineer at Clinton in 1986. He became Division Engineer at Clinton in 1995. He was named Assistant Director Continued on page 4 3 Continued from page 3 for Operations in January 2001 before becoming ODOT Director in August. Ridley worked with the state Legislature when it passed several landmark pieces of legislation to improve transportation funding. At the same time, he worked to conduct programming in a sound, businesslike fashion absent political influences to ensure increased funding is spent prudently. During his tenure, the number of bad bridges has been reduced and safety features, such as life-saving cable barriers, have become commonplace on Oklahoma’s highways. Ridley also improved the process of preparing the department’s eight- year Construction Work Plan. With funding increases for transportation, he was able to firm-up commitments made in the fiscally constrained plan, particularly those during the first three years. He also created ODOT’s four-year Asset Preservation Plan aimed at maximizing the life of Oklahoma’s infrastructure. At the national level, he chaired the committee that celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the interstate highway system, and he has been asked to testify to Congress on several occasions about the challenges faced by state transportation officials. Ridley is a native of Chicago and a registered Professional Engineer. He and his wife, Eula, live in Yukon and have two grown children, Daphne and Joe and four grandchildren. Earlier this year, I sat down with Secretary Ridley to talk about turnpikes and here is part of that conversation: Back in the 1940’s, the only road that you had to get from Tulsa to Oklahoma City was Highway 66, and it was probably about a 3 ½ hours or longer drive. The Highway Department, as it was known then, didn’t have the funds to be able to build a new highway. So the Legislature at the time, and the people pushed for a toll facility that would be built, and it could be done in a hurry, and only the people who would use it would pay for it. We were the third state in the Union to have a State-sponsored toll facility. Now there are 34 states that have toll facilities, because they have come up with that same problem of funding, not having the money to build the roads they need. How many times have you heard people say that once the turnpike was paid off, it was supposed to be a free road forever, and they are still yet charging tolls? Well, when the first one was built, that was the idea. Continued on page 7 4 Let Us Partner With You On Your Next Project Whether it is helping protection on hundreds you reduce your Cost of projects that have of Risk or increase helped shape Oklahoma your bonding capacity, since 1922. 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You won’t pay a cent until you’re satisfied. • FREE EXACT PRICE QUOTE IN 10 MINUTES • 1-2 DAY REPAIRS ON FREE MOST VEHICLES RENTAL CAR • SATISFACTION For duration of repair. GUARANTEED –YOU Must be scheduled prior to repair date. Good up to a standard DON’T PAY UNTIL YOUR sized car. 100% SATISFIED FAST, FLAWLESS, FOR LESS. EDMOND OKLAHOMA CITY 3625 South Broadway 8313 Candlewood Dr. Edmond, OK 73013 Oklahoma City, OK 73132 405.242.2233 405.470.3333 Locally owned by Fred Krapff. 6 Continued from page 5 The Turner Turnpike was done first, and shortly thereafter, people said this is a great deal, and we would like to have one that goes from Tulsa to Miami. It was called the Will Rogers Turnpike, but it wouldn’t stand on its own by generating enough money to pay its debts, so they did a referendum in 1954, and it went to a vote of the people and asked if the people