BRISTOW, Okla. — For the last three decades, one man, Tim Gatz, has been the face of transportation in Oklahoma, overseeing countless infrastructure projects.
Wednesday afternoon, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond got the wheels spinning on a change, leaving Gatz with just one of his three jobs.
Gatz opened up the groundbreaking ceremony with these remarks: "I am Tim Gatz, and uh, I’m just darn glad to be here."
Wednesday, Gatz served as transportation secretary, Director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, and Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. By the time he and other leaders broke ground on the Turner Turnpike expansion, he held one title: ODOT director.
Gatz didn’t dodge the topic, he voiced confidence in the agencies going forward.
"The two agencies, Turnpike Authority and the Department of Transportation, won’t miss a beat," Gatz said, "You know, we’ve got contingencies in place, everything’s going be fine, and we’re just working through that right now, and that’s what I stay focused on."
What confuses Gov. Kevin Stitt is the timing of it all, "It just looks very weaponized, it looks very political that you would pick on a public servant like Gatz."
That comment, after Sen. Mary Boren requested Drummond review Gatz’ positions. She told 2 News some of her constituents have been “very concerned and fearful” around the ACCESS Oklahoma project.
"They have been very engaged about monitoring, and watching and holding the transportation agencies accountable for how they make decisions, how they spend money," Boren said.
Boren said she sent the request to Drummond in October 2023.
Back to the project at hand, which will widen a stretch of the Turner Turnpike between Hayburn and Bristow to six lanes.
"Everywhere I go, everybody asks: when are you gonna widen the rest of it? When’s it gonna be finished? How long until you can get done?" Joe Echelle told the crowd at the groundbreaking ceremony.
The expanded stretch has Bristow neighbors like Carolyn Webb excited.
"I think it’s gonna help it in every way. I really do. We have so many people that live in Bristow and work in Tulsa and surrounding areas," Webb said.
Bristow Mayor Kris Wyatt hopes her city grows just like the highway next to it.
"The Turner Turnpike expansion is not just about laying asphalt and concrete, it’s about laying the foundation for a brighter future," she said.
The expansion is expected to be completed in about 18 months.
It’s all part of the larger ACCESS Oklahoma effort, which includes several projects. ODOT has them outlined on this page.
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