Oklahoma’s top transportation official is stepping down. Tim Gatz announced Monday during a meeting of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission that he’ll retire at the end of October, closing out 37 years of state service. Gatz began his ODOT career in 1990 as a drafting technician, joined the agency’s executive team in 2006, and later led both ODOT and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.
His tenure left a measurable mark on the state. Oklahoma climbed to fourth in the nation for bridge conditions, with few of the state’s nearly 6,800 highway bridges classified as structurally deficient. Gatz also oversaw major projects including the $8.2 billion turnpike improvement plan and the I-40 reconstruction in Oklahoma City, work that shapes daily commutes far beyond the metro.
Gatz will continue as Governor Kevin Stitt’s secretary of transportation through the remainder of the term. ODOT chief engineer TJ Dill has been named interim director of the agency. For Lawton drivers heading to Fort Sill, the refuge, or anywhere else in the state, the roads he helped build and maintain will be his lasting signature.
What’s the one road or bridge around Lawton you’d put at the top of ODOT’s to-do list?
About the Author
Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.