AASHTO Journal - Oklahoma DOT Selects Design Teams for US-70 Bridge

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation recently selected three design-build teams to bid on its US-70 Roosevelt Memorial Bridge project; what the agency dubbed “a critical step in the contracting process” while moving this project forward.

[Above photo by the Oklahoma DOT]

The US-70 Roosevelt Bridge, located in Bryan and Marshall Counties, is set to be replaced using a $124 million federal grant awarded in 2024 and state funding to ensure it remains a safe and reliable crossing over Lake Texoma. The bridge currently carries 8,500 vehicles per day.

The US-70 bridge originally opened in 1945 and serves as a vital link for travel, business, and recreation in Southeastern Oklahoma. The proposed replacement structure will incorporate more resilience so it can better withstand extreme weather events and will also feature wider lanes, improved lighting, and a variety of modern safety features.

This bridge project will be delivered via what is called a “Modified Progressive Design Build” contract — the first time this approach has been used by the agency, explained Justin Hernandez, Oklahoma DOT’s director of design, in a statement.

“This method teams designers and builders together throughout the engineering process to promote greater innovation and expedite project completion by incorporating the builder’s preferred practices into the design,” he said.

The design-build teams selected by the agency are Manhattan Road & Bridge Co.; Walsh Construction Co.; and Zachry Construction Corp./Traylor Bros., Inc. (a joint venture). Oklahoma DOT said it evaluated each of them based on a range of qualifications, including organizational structure and key personnel assigned to the project; experience of the firms on similar projects; and their approach to collaboration and risk management.

Each team received a $2 million contract from the Oklahoma Transportation Commission to work on proposals for an overall design, incorporate innovations, and establish construction phases. Each team will also develop cost estimates in the proposals.

After reviewing those proposals, Oklahoma DOT will select one of the three teams in the spring of 2026 to deliver final design and construction services for the bridge replacement project. Construction is anticipated to start in the summer of 2026.