AASHTO Journal - Oklahoma DOT Streamlines via New Maintenance Yard

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation recently celebrated the opening of its new Overbrook Maintenance Yard in District 7; marking a major milestone in the agency’s long-term initiative to streamline operations and improve statewide service delivery.

[Above photo by Oklahoma DOT]

Positioned along the I-35 corridor, the new Overbrook yard will serve as the primary center for maintenance activities in south-central Oklahoma – consolidating multiple existing maintenance locations, including the Carter County, Love County, and I-35 Ardmore Interstate facilities, into one centralized operations hub.

The facility expands regional materials capacity by an additional 2,500 tons and reduces travel time for crews and equipment along I-35, benefits that translate directly into fewer delays and improved roadway safety for the public.

This initiative also supports Oklahoma DOT’s goal of providing a safer, more efficient, and better-equipped workplaces for field crews as combining multiple yards into one site improves workload balance, reduces logistical complexity, and increases equipment availability.

The agency added that this new facility is part of Oklahoma DOT’s transition from a county-based operational model to one aligned with lane-mile responsibilities – a data-driven transition that aims to improve operational consistency statewide while maximizing manpower and equipment use.

Tim Gatz (second from right). Photo by Oklahoma DOT.

By centralizing operations at Overbrook, Oklahoma DOT said it increases the ability to deliver safer, quicker and more reliable service especially during winter storms, major incidents and emergency repairs.

“The Overbrook Maintenance Yard is a major milestone … advances our long-term strategy to manage resources efficiently and provide consistent service across all 77 counties [and] is already delivering measurable financial benefits,” noted Tim Gatz, Oklahoma DOT’s executive director, in a statement.

He added that the construction of a similar facility in Kay County – District 4 Tonkawa project – saved nearly $3 million in operational expenses, with more than $10 million in additional savings projected from ongoing efforts from similar consolidation initiatives underway in Wetumka in Hughes County and Sallisaw in Sequoyah County.