2023 Oklahoma Statutes › Title 69. Roads Bridges and Ferries › §69-3003. Financing - Trustees - Construction contract.

No road shall be financed or constructed under the terms of this act, except such access roads or connecting roads which are incidental to some authorized facility, unless the trust indenture, the financing provisions, the selection of the trustees and the construction contract shall conform with the following provisions:
1. The contractor shall be paid in bonds issued by the trust, which shall constitute complete compensation for the performance of the contract with the trust in accordance with the terms and conditions thereof.
2. The plans and specifications for the project must be at least equal to minimum standards of the State Highway Department for the State of Oklahoma or the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority for like facilities and subject to reasonable approval of engineer to be designated by the trust.
3. Before any right-of-way is acquired, excluding any interest acquired in a right-of-way by option, or any condemnation action is commenced for the purpose of acquiring right-of-way, the contractor shall first have filed a payment and performance bond with the trust, in an amount as provided in the construction contract, but not less than the total estimated cost of actual construction.
4. The trustees of any trust which has the power, under the terms of this act and of its trust indenture, to contract for the construction and financing of any toll expressway shall be selected as follows:
a.
The governing body of each participating municipality shall designate one person and shall submit such person's name in writing to the principal district judge presiding over the territory of such participating municipality. If such person is approved by such judge or if the judge takes no action within thirty (30) days from the date such name was submitted to him, such person, upon taking the oath, shall become a trustee.
b.
When the appointment of a member of the board of trustees by each participating municipality has been completed, such members shall meet and elect a temporary chairman, and shall notify the Governor of the State of Oklahoma by registered mail of:
(1)
Existence of the trust;
(2)
The names of the participating municipalities; and
(3)
The name of the member of the board appointed by each participating municipality, and shall request that the Governor appoint within thirty (30) days a like number of trustees, less one. If the Governor fails to make any or all of such appointments, the trustees shall fill such vacancies by a nomination by any member of the board of trustees and the approving vote of a majority of the trustees.
c.
When all vacancies have been filled, the trustees shall elect a permanent chairman who shall serve for the longest term provided for in the trust indenture. All other members shall draw lots for staggered terms.
d.
Subsequent vacancies shall be filled by action of the surviving trustees for the unexpired term thereof.
e.
Subsequent appointments shall be made in the manner provided above.
5. The construction contract shall provide for reimbursement to the trust for an amount equal to the cost of engineering, including inspection, subject to such reasonable limits as the parties may agree to, or, the trust must have a prior commitment that the cost of such inspection or any portion thereof shall be borne by one or more of the participating municipalities, or the state, as established by a written agreement between the trust and such municipalities or the state.
6. The construction contract shall make provisions for the providing of maintenance when the facility is completed and open to the public. Such maintenance cost may be borne or shared in any lawful manner that the trust, contractor and participating municipality may agree upon. Until the trust bonds are retired, any surplus revenues shall be deposited in a special fund for the purpose of providing maintenance for the facility until the fund is of sufficient size that such surplus revenues may be prudently diverted to other lawful purposes within the discretion of the board of trustees.
7. The construction contract shall set a maximum and a minimum for the toll to be collected from the traveling public on such toll expressway for each separate class of vehicles and shall set forth the formula by which the actual toll shall be set, which shall be effective until all the bonds issued for the payment of the project shall have been retired, unless changed by an agreement of such trust and a majority of the registered bondholders.
Added by Laws 1971, c. 333, § 3, emerg. eff. June 16, 1971.