The Oklahoma Department of Transportation and its design-build team gathered with federal, state and local officials on Sept. 10, 2026, at Lake Texoma State Park to mark the beginning of the U.S. 70 Roosevelt Bridge replacement project.
The more than $408 million project will replace the 80-year-old bridge connecting Bryan and Marshall counties over Lake Texoma to improve the safety and reliability of this important corridor.
U.S. 70 is an important regional connector between southern Oklahoma, northern Texas and southern Arkansas, carrying more than 11,000 vehicles each day. These improvements will support the continued growth of this area, including travel, tourism and economic activity along the multi-state corridor.
Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation and ODOT Executive Director Tim Gatz emceed the historic groundbreaking event and was joined by Sean McMaster, administrator of the United States Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Sen. James Lankford and Zachry Construction/Traylor Bros., the design-build team.
“Today, we celebrate long-awaited promises delivered for a stronger, more connected future for this region, its communities and the many residents and visitors who rely on this bridge,” Gatz said. “This monumental project represents what we can accomplish when we come together with a shared commitment to building a stronger state and a stronger future for those who come after us.”
The bridge project is being funded through a combination of federal and state investment, including a $124 million Large Bridge Project award through the Federal Highway Administration's Bridge Investment Program.
“The replacement of the U.S. 70 Roosevelt Bridge is exactly the type of project the Federal Highway Administration is excited to support: modernizing critical infrastructure, enhancing public safety and maintaining vital economic lifelines for local communities,” McMaster said.
The U.S. 70 Roosevelt Bridge replacement project will include:
• construction of a new four-lane bridge across Lake Texoma;
• improvements to roadway approaches along U.S. 70;
• enhanced safety features, such as full shoulders, lighting and pedestrian path; and
• coordination with local communities and regional partners throughout construction.
Zachry Construction and Traylor Bros. lead the design-build team.
Initial work at the project site is already under way.
Crews have prepared the construction site and improved driver visibility by clearing trees near the bridge and along U.S. 70, while barges have been conducting drilling into the lake bottom to test ground conditions where the new bridge piers will be anchored.
Lake Texoma reaches depths of approximately 65 ft. near the bridge, making the foundation work one of the project's major engineering challenges. ODOT has been and will continue working closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to address environmental considerations associated with the project.
The current bridge will remain open during construction. The new bridge is anticipated to be completed in fall 2029.
